Falling
by Oribella
Summary: When Luffy and Nami fall over board they embark on a whole new adventure! Will this adventure change their friendship into something more? LuffyXNami or NamiXLuffy LuNa LuNami whichever you prefer :FINISHED
1. A New Adventure!

Chapter 1 A New Adventure!

It was just another beautiful sunny, summer morning while sailing over the ocean near the Grand Line. The ocean sparkled, as a soft mist loomed over the water. Soft waves gently splashed against the ship as it sailed forward into Grand Line territory.

The pirate captain, Monkey D. Luffy, of the Straw Hat Crew, was the first to awaken. Seeing no one else was awake he decided just to watch the waters and not yell and wake everyone up as he usually did.

Luffy walked to the deck of the ship and rested his crossed arms against the starboard side of it. A very light breeze blew against him making him rub his arms a little chilled by it's sudden presence. Luffy gazed over the water watching as some creatures of the sea emerged for a short moment then returned to their home under the surface. He loved the ocean, he loved its beautiful waters and the mist over it in the morning or the fog that loomed over it at night or in the morning, whenever it would appear.

Now and then he wished for his ability to swim so he could explore the ocean even more. But sadly the Gum Gum fruit had taken that from him and also placed a small fear of the water in him. But sailing on the water was good enough for him, besides he had lots of things to be happy about. He had an awesome crew who were also all his closest friends and at least he was fulfilling his dream, and he would soon become King of the Pirates! But even with all that, something seemed to be missing, he found himself wanting something else, something more than he already had. But what more was there than this? He wasn't sure, and sometimes he didn't care, but the feeling always came back to him and he hated it. It frustrated him that he couldn't figure out what else he wanted. But he couldn't get rid of the feeling he wanted something. _Something else. Something different. Something... Just something..._

Luffy set his straw hat down on the floor next to his feet so it wouldn't blow away.

He shook his face in the wind just enjoying it's coolness as it blew his hair back.

Unknown to him, Nami, the Straw Hat Crews Navigator, had just woken up and had just walked out onto the deck. She saw him there, and hid behind a beam and just watched him.

He had such a serious look on his face, Nami didn't see this side of him much, unless he was fighting and even then sometimes he didn't take those situations seriously. She liked this side of her captain, he looked mature for once, how he should be! But even so she still had this side of her that wouldn't have her captain's, simple minded, fun loving, childish personality, any other way. But hey, in her oppinion, he could still grow up!

Then she noticed for the first time since she had come out that Luffy wasn't wearing his straw hat. She liked this also. Yes, she understood how important that thing was to him, well sort of, he hadn't exactly explained it to her but she could tell it was important to him. But without the hat, he didn't look so dorky and childish, he looked more like a man, and even kind of cute!.

She continued to watch him, not understanding why she wanted to, or why she was hiding so she could do so. She just wanted to, and for awhile she didn't care why she did.

Luffy continued not to notice her, he was too intrigued with the ocean in front of him.

Nami moved forward a little, making the boat floor creak a little getting Luffy's attention. Luffy glanced back to see who was there.

Nami quickly hid behind the beam. When Luffy didn't see anything he just shrugged and turned back to the ocean.

She peaked out of the side of the beam. _I wonder what he's thinking about... _Luffy felt her watching and glanced back catching her. She squeaked when she realized she had been caught.

"Oh hi, Nami!" he said, "I didn't see you there."

She didn't say anything. She suddenly felt shy. He felt her emotion and thought it was funny.

He laughed, then grinned, "What's the matter, Nami?"

She tried to play cool, not even understanding why she wanted to "play" anything, "Nothing, I'm just waking up, that's all."

"Ok."

He looked back at the ocean.

Nami came and stood beside him.

"It sure is beautiful." she observed.

He smiled, "Yeah, I love it!"

"So, soon we'll reach the Grand Line, and then you'll become King of the Pirates."

Luffy laughed with a funny sound affect following it, "Yup!"

"So, what will you do after you become King of the Pirates?" Nami asked.

Luffy shrugged, "I guess I'll just continue being a pirate, I mean that's what I'm supposed to do. Right?"

"Is that all?" she asked.

He shrugged, then grinned, "Doesn't matter as long as I have you."

Nami's face turned beat red, she stepped back a little shocked, "W-what?"

He looked at her confused not realizing what he said, until he thought it over.

"You guys!" he added quickly, realizing his mistake, "I meant you guys, you are all my crew and my friends after all."

"Oh." she sighed sounding disappointed.

Nami looked down and sighed.

"What's the matter?" he asked bending his head down so he would be looking up at her.

"Nothing," she answered quietly.

Luffy grabbed his straw hat and placed it on his head, covering his eyes. A big smile spread out on his face.

"Wha'd ya think I meant, Nami?"

Nami was about to reply when the sound of thunder caught both of their attention. They both looked up into the sky as a cloud shadowed over their ship.

Nami ground her teeth, "This isn't good."

"Yeah, tell me about it, night's coming faster every day!"

Nami gave him a good smack across the back of his head.

"It's not night time! There's a storm coming you idiot!"

He waved his hand, "It's probably just a passing cloud, I'm sure it will-"

Before he could finish lightning flashed across the sky and it started to rain. Pretty soon after waves started to splash fiercely against the ship.

Another huge wave crashed against the ship's side making the two pirates fall over.

Luffy scurried to his feet, "All hands on deck!" he shouted

Every one from the Straw Hat Crew rushed to deck of the ship.

"What's the problem, Captain?" Sanji, the first one to appear, asked.

"A storm!" Nami answered.

"Raise the sails!" Captain Luffy ordered.

Everyone rushed to their positions trying to make sure they would make it through the storm safely.

Usopp, who was still in his pajamas, just stood there, holding his teddy bear, while everyone worked. He was still half asleep and had no idea what was going on.

"WELL! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!" Luffy screamed in his ear startling him awake.

"I'm up! I'm up! I'll lower the anker!"

Usopp rushed over to do so.

Luffy blinked then realized what his ship mate was going to do.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Luffy screamed hurrying over to stop him.

But it was too late.

Everyone was knocked over by the sudden force of the stop and the sails lowered again.

Zoro, who had been trying to raise the sail, had been thrown across the ship and crashed into a wall

Zoro quickly ran over, "Usopp, you idiot!" he growled punching Usopp's back making him fall over.

Usopp stood, finally fully awake, "What happened?"

"Doesn't matter." Robin answered him who was at the front of the ship.

Sanji looked to see what she meant, "WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO A ROCK!"

Luffy quickly stretched his arm out trying to grab the helm so they could turn. But even the rubber man wasn't quick enough, and the ship smashed into the rock.

The impact sent Nami flying over board.

She screamed.

Luffy heard her.

"Nami!"

Luffy stretched his arm out grabbing her hand just in time.

He made his way over to her and was just about to pull her up when, **_BAM! _**the ship took another blow.

**_BAM! _**another, **_BAM! _**and another.

Luffy looked to see what the trouble was. Usopp and Sanji were franticly fighting over the helm and turning it back and forth, making them crash into the rock again, and again.

"KNOCK IT OFF GUYS!" Luffy yelled at them, "YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE ME DROP NAMI!"

Once more they crashed into it, and this time it sent Luffy over the edge, luckily he grabbed the railing of the ship before he fell into the water.

The ship tottered back and forth in the waves totally out of control.

Luffy looked down at the waves that threatened to swallow them, he knew he couldn't swim so the fear of falling over was even worse than it could have been.

Sweat dripped off his face, as every crashing wave made him more nervous.

"Hoist anker, you morons!" Luffy heard Zoro yell.

Luffy's palms were starting to get sweaty, making it even more difficult for him to hold on. Another sweat drop dripped off his face.

"Don't let go!" cried Nami's voice.

He looked down at her. Her face was totally stricken with fear, she was crying, and sweating and just pleading for him not to let her go.

He tightened his grip, "I won't! I promise!"

A wave smashed against Nami making her head bang against the side of the ship knocking her out.

"Nami!" Luffy cried.

If they fell now they would be entirely at the mercy of the sea.

A huge waved swallowed Nami up and Luffy went with her.

* * *

When they fell into the water another waved took them under.

Luffy desperately tried to make it above the water, but his efforts were useless. He couldn't swim and there's nothing he could do to save himself. Every now and then, a wave would push him back up and he would frequently get a breath of air, but it wasn't enough.

So there they were, _sinking, sinking, sinking._ But even though they sank and hard waves tried to tare them apart he never let go.

Since he couldn't save eather one of them, he just kept his promise. And he just thought in his mind. _I'll never let go.. Never..._

* * *

The two pirates lay blacked out against the shores they had been thrown upon. Their hands still holding each others.

Luffy eyes opened slowly. His eyes opened to dark sky with small white lights in it. _Night.. _He closed his eyes again, _What I wouldn't give for some meat._ For a moment he forgot about the storm, but then it dawned on him. He was alive! But how could this be? How did he survive?

Then something interrupted his thoughts, a light squeeze of his hand. Luffy looked to the right of him, it was Nami! She was alive too! She was battered up pretty bad, though. The whole bottom of her shirt had been shredded to pieces and she had scratches and bruises all over her body. _Must of hit some rocks._ he thought.

Luffy sat up, when he did a huge shot of pain pulsed through his body and he discovered he wasn't in such great shape either. His whole front was covered in blood!

"Got to get a doctor..." he said to himself.

Luffy let go of Nami's hand, picked her up and started walking.

There was no signs of life ahead. Just a forest. He walked in it for hours, just trying to get through. No one, nothing. All the trees looked the same and confused him, so he just kept going around in circles.

Luffy had lost alot of blood now and was still bleeding, he wouldn't make it much longer.

Finally he reached the breaking point and collapsed.

Someone walked in front of him.

* * *

The Straw Hat Crew was extending a desperate search for their captain and their Navigator. But the whole situation was worse since they had lost their two most important pirates. Without Nami they didn't even know where they were going, or could go.

"I think I should be the new Captain until we get Luffy back!" Usopp suggested.

"What makes you think you should be the new captain?" Sanji argued, "Most of the time you don't even know what's going on, and if it wasn't for you we wouldn't have lost Luffy and Nami in the first place!"

They butted heads.

"Oh yeah!"

"Yeah!"

"Knock it off you two!" Zoro ordered, "At the rate you two are going we'll never find Luffy!"

"Our best bet is to go where the storm carried them." Robin said.

"Which way was that?" Zoro asked.

"I'm not sure." Robin admitted.

"I think we should point in a direction and that's the way we should go!" Chopper said.

"Good idea, Chopper!" Usopp agreed.

"Ok, on the count of three we'll point. One, two, three!"

Zoro pointed North, Robin pointed South, Sanji pointed East, Chopper pointed West and Usopp pointed Up.

Zoro smacked his forehead, "This might take longer than I thought."

* * *

"_Ooooooh..._"Luffy groaned finally starting to wake up. He sat up, "Ow!" He still ached.

"So you're finally awake." a voice said.

Luffy looked, there was something in the shadows. A form of an old women in a rocking chair.

"Hehehehehehehehe." she cackled, "You're lucky I found you in the woods. If I had come any later you would have been a real goner, boy."

Luffy looked around. His surroundings were definitely new. He was in a dark room, with only a small candle to light it. Shelves upon shelves of potions and herbs were on every inch of the room. Some bubbled, some didn't.

"You are a real fool to go swimming in water like that, boy, don't you know you and that girl could have been killed out there?"

Luffy jumped to his feet.

"Where's Nami! What did you do with her! Is she ok!"

"LIE DOWN!" she commanded him kicking him in the face and back onto the bed, "You're going to split something open then all my hard work will be for nothing!"

When the old ladies face was in the light Luffy got to see that she was the ugliest women he had ever seen.

"Uh, ok sorry."

"The girl's in the next room. She's just fine. But she won't be if she finds out her lover bled to death!"

"Yeah bu-" Luffy blinked, "What did you just call me?"

"Her lover of course. Why else would you two be lying on the beach holding hands."

"You saw us lying on the beach? Why didn't you come and help us!"

"I wanted to see how far you two would get," she cackled again, "Not very far I see."

_This lady is weird.. _"Where am I?" Luffy asked.

"This is "Dead Town" the old lady answered.

"Dead Town? That's a strange name."

"Not when everyone here, except me, is dead."

"Dead?"

She nodded.

"A long time ago this used to be a normal town like any other, but one day people just started dying until everyone was gone. Not even I could treat their strange illness. So slowly the people just died off until only I was left."

"Why didn't you catch the illness?"

"I have a very strong immune system, besides I'm too beautiful to die." she laughed, "But this will all change tonight, at the stroke of midnight tonight," she cackled, "DOOM!"

Luffy didn't say anything.

"So, what's a farm boy like you doing in a place like this?"

"Farm boy!" Luffy snorted insulted, "I'm a pirate!"

"Is that so? Then why do you have straw in your hair?"

Luffy started feeling his head.

"Straw in my hair? It's from my straw ha-" there was nothing there! Luffy jumped to his feet again,slapping his hands against his face, "AHHHH! MY STRAW HAT IS GONE!"

The old lady kicked him in the face again.

"Stop standing! You're going to rip something!"

"I have to find my straw hat!"

"It was probably lost at sea. There's no point in squawking over it now."

Luffy growled, "Damn it!" he said punching the bed.

The bed totally collapsed and fell to pieces.

The old ladies eyes popped out and her jaw dropped.

Luffy froze, "Oops.."

She kicked him again, "YOU BROKE MY BED, YOU WELP! GET YOUR GIRLFRIEND AND GET OUT OF HERE!"

Luffy ran to the next room, picked Nami up, and got the heck out of there! When he got outside he looked back at the house.

"Man, what a grump!"

He looked down at Nami. She looked so cute when she was sleeping.

Luffy smiled and walked on.

_Author's Note:_

_REVIEW!_

_I love how my first Chapter turned out! Hehe!_


	2. Snake Man

Chapter 2 Snake Man

_What now?_ Luffy thought. Where was he supposed to go?He wasn't about to go back in the woods and get lost again! _I guess I'll just have to keep walking.._

After walking a ways he came upon town, a ghost town more like it! Not a soul anywhere. Plus it was still night out so the place looked totally creepy!

"This must be the town that old hag was talking about," Luffy thought out loud. He walked down the streets a ways then stopped. "Hello!" he called, "Anybody there!"

Nothing, just the whispering of wind or the sound of it making a door or a window bang open and shut.

Luffy walked into a saloon, to see if anyone was there. Cobwebs stuck to everything, it looked alot like The Gold Roger bar he had been in at Rogue town.

"Hello!" he called, "Anybody home!"

Nothing.

Well there didn't seem to be anything in this spooky old town so he decided to keep walking. He walked out of the saloon and kept walking straight forward. After awhile he came to a graveyard.

"Wow, creepy!" he remarked.

The whole graveyard set up was the sort of thing you would see in a scary movie. Trees hanging over graves, cobwebs stuck against them. (Whatever creepy critter makes your skin crawl is the best way I can describe how this graveyard makes you feel).

Chills shivered up and down Luffy's spine.

Luffy was so intranced with the graveyard he didn't even notice Nami was starting to wake up.

_I must be dead.. I'm floating..._ Her eyes fluttered open and looked up, "Mm, Luffy's carrying me.. What a nice dream.." she closed her eyes again.

"Nami?"

Nami opened her eyes, "Luffy?"

A big grin spread out on his face, "Hi, Nami!"

Her face went red, "LUFFY!" Nami shrieked trying to scramble out of his arms, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"

"Carrying you."

"I-I know that, b-but why?"

"Well, how else was I supposed to get you out of that old lady's house?"

"Old lady? What? Huh?" Nami looked around. We're in a graveyard? She gasped, "What are we doing here? WERE YOU PLANNING ON BURYING ME!"

Luffy laughed, "No I-"

"Oh my god!" Nami shrieked, noticing the bandages around Luffy's body under his shirt, "What happened!"

Luffy explained.

"So this is "Dead" Town?" Nami asked.

"According to the old lady it is." Luffy answered.

Nami wiped her forehead, "Well whatever.. At least we're alive." She looked up at the sky, "We'd better find some place to rest for the night."

"Well there are plenty of places to stay in the town."

Nami frowned grinding her teeth. "No way Luffy!" she exclaimed putting her hands up. "I'm not staying in some creepy old ghost town!"

Luffy looked around. He noticed another forest a little ways away from the graveyard. "There should be another town around here. Let's go!"

Nami started to walk when she noticed a familiar shadow. She gasped.

"Nami! Come on!" Luffy called back to her.

"C-coming."

She glanced back and the shadow was gone. _Nah, it couldn't have been.._

* * *

"Ok, let's try this again," Zoro sighed, "One, two, three!" 

Zoro pointed South, Robin pointed North, Sanji pointed West, Chopper pointed East and Usopp pointed Up.

"One, two, three!"

Zoro pointed West, Robin pointed East, Sanji pointed North, Chopper pointed South and Usopp pointed Up.

"One, two, three!"

Zoro pointed East, Robin pointed West, Sanji pointed South, Chopper pointed North and Usopp pointed Up.

Zoro had just about had it.

"USOPP, WHY DO YOU KEEP POINTING UP!"

"Oh, I was just stretching," Usopp pointed down.

Zoro held his head and groaned, "THAT TEARS IT! THIS ISN'T GETTING US ANYWHERE!"

"Actually Zoro, I know exactly which way we should go!" Usopp spoke up.

Zoro looked at him.

"You do? Where?"

Usopp pointed and struck a heroic pose, "Wherever the wind may take us!"

Zoro groaned and fell over.

* * *

Luffy and Nami looked around desperately for a way out of the forest. But every time they had thought they found a way out they just came back to the same tree stump again. 

"Oh, great we're lost." Nami groaned.

"Guess we're camping out here tonight!"

"ARE YOU KIDDING? WHO KNOWS WHAT LIVES IN THIS FOREST!"

Luffy closed his eyes and grinned. "Don't worry, I'll protect you!"

Nami blushed a little then turned away from him and laughed, "Yeah, right, like I need your help!"

Luffy frowned, "Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

Nami laughed, "Just forget it! Let's just find somewhere to sleep."

"Ok, let's split up and see what we can find!"

The two split up .

The forest was actually kind of nice. At least it wasn't totally creepy like that graveyard! After searching awhile Nami decided to take a break and sit down on a rock.

She sighed.

Then something caught her attention. She listened. _Water?_

"Nami!" she heard Luffy call.

"I'm coming!" she called back.

Nami listened and followed the sound of the water until she came to a river with a waterfall. She stood in awe. It was really beautiful!

She looked back and forth, but she didn't see Luffy anywhere.

"Luffy!" She shouted.

The sound of a bush rustling startled her. She turned, "L-Luffy?"

It happened so quick Nami didn't have a chance to think. One minute she was standing staring at some tall bushes in front of her, and the next minute she was on the ground. Nami was almost afraid to look behind her. She could hear a creature roaring so she knew it couldn't be good.

She rolled onto her back. She gasped.

The creature was a strange site. It looked kind of like a man but it obviously wasn't. It had the body of a man but only it's whole body was bronze and scaly like a snake. Its head was the head of a snake, a cobra snake. It had long claws coming out it's human like hands and feet. And it had horrible red snake eyes.

The creature raised its hand, threatening to smack her again.

Nami felt her leg, feeling for her staff. It wasn't there! _Damn! I must have lost it in the ocean!_

The creature roared.

Nami closed her eyes, screamed and shielded her face. Nothing happened. She opened one eye.

She gasped, "Luffy!"

"Stay back!" he told her, as he tried to push the creature back.

Luffy had blocked the blow and now was trying to keep the thing from crushing him! The creature flickered it's snake tongue at him, hissing dangerously.

"Gum Gum Rapid Fire!" Luffy rapidly pounded on the things chest. It swiped at him but he dodged. "Gum Gum Whip!" He kicked it and it fell flat on its back. He turned to Nami. "That was easy!"

"Look out!"

Luffy looked but he was too late. The thing smacked him, smashing him into a tree. The creature slowly aproached the now unconscious pirate.

"Hey!" Nami shouted at the creature picking up a thin tree branch that resembled her staff, "Leave him alone!"

She wailed on it. The creature turned to her angrily. She swung at it again. The branch went right into the creature's mouth and it chomped it in half. Nami looked up at it helplessly.

"He'ssss been exssssspecting you..." it said.

All she could get out was, "Huh?"

The creature raised its hand. She closed her eyes.

"UGH!" Nami heard someone groan.

She opened her eyes to surprisingly see Luffy up again and also to see the snake man take a nice chunk out of Luffy's arm.

"OH MY GOD! LUFFY!"

He growled and glanced at her over his shoulder, "Don't worry! I'm handling it!" He brought his arm back, "Gum Gum, BLAST!"

With one hard pound the creator went sailing across the sky.

Luffy chuckled, then fell to his knees holding his arm. Nami knelt beside him.

"Oh Luffy! Are you okay? Can you stand? Do you need a doctor? Here, let me help you!"

He pushed her away. She gasped in surprise.

"_I'm fine_.."

She said nothing.

"I found somewhere we can stay.." he grabbed her hand. "Come on.."

Luffy drug her along. She wasn't sure where she was going then realized where they were headed. They were going up to the falls. No! They were going behind the waterfall! Luffy drug her in, over rocks, and under dripping pointy rocks.

All Nami could think about was what had just happened. _Who was that guy? And what was he talking about? Someone's been expecting me?_ Nami didn't want Luffy to know she was upset so she tried to make it seem like nothing was wrong. Then she finally was able to push it out of her head.

"This is cool." Nami remarked looking around.

"Yeah!" Luffy laughed, "It's totally awesome in here!"

Finally they were in.

Nami stood in awe of the view. It was really beautiful! "Wow." she said. She went to walk forward but tripped over a rock, "Eeek!"

Luffy caught her and stood her up, holding her against his chest.

"Are you okay?"

Nami was fine but she didn't reply. She was too caught up in the moment.

"_Nami..._"

Her eyes had fixed on his and she was totally intranced with them. _Wow, I never noticed how nice his eyes are.. _Nami flattened one of her hands against his chest. She liked how her body felt against his._ His chest is rock hard! It feels nice.. He looks so hot without that hat.. Wait! What am I thinking? Why am I thinking? I'm acting like I like him... I don't like him, do I? But I feel so comfortable... And his eyes are swallowing me! Like two dark-_

"-you're heavier than you look!"

"LUFFY!" Nami roared, smacking him in the back of the head knocking him down, "WHY DO YOU HAVE TO SPOIL EVERYTHING WITH YOUR BIG MOUTH!"

The confused boy blinked in confusion, "What? What did I say?"

Nami groaned, "Never mind..."

She sat down helplessly. He sat down across from her. There was a silence. She glanced at him. Looking at Luffy without his hat looked kind of weird. She had hardly ever seen him without it. Then she started thinking. _He lost it because of me..._

"I'm sorry about your hat." Nami began, "I know how much it means to you.."

"Don't worry about it. It's not _your_ fault."

There was another silence.

"So I guess that hat's pretty special to you?"

Luffy smiled. "Yeah, my friend Shanks gave it to me!" then he frowned, "I was supposed to give it back to him..."

Now Nami felt even worse about it, "Sorry."

"It's okay," he grinned, "I'll find it!"

_My, my, isn't he naive. _She lay on her side.

_Silence.._

"So, how are you feeling?" Luffy asked.

"I'm the one who should be asking you! You're in worse shape than me!"

Luffy shrugged, "It's nothing."

She rolled towards him, "Yes it is! You could have gotten killed!"

Luffy shrugged.

"You should have let go of me.."

"What?"

"When we fell over board.."

"It's no big deal.."

"You should have let go of my hand!"

"I can't swim. It wouldn't have mattered either way."

"You would have had a better chance if you wouldn't have had me dragging you down!"

"I _said_ 'it was no big deal'!"

Nami got on her knees and yelled at him, "Yes it is, Luffy! I-I." She lay down again onto her side facing away from him. She held back tears, "I could have gotten you killed.."

"_Nami.._"

"Just like when you saved me from Arlong. You could have gotten killed just because I needed your help! I never even, even-" She began to cry," I never even thanked you for that!"

Luffy got on his hands and knees and hovered over her, "You don't have to_ thank _me, Nami. I did it because I wanted to. Besides I couldn't have let go of your hand even if I wanted to! I promised I wouldn't!"

"But you-"

Luffy turned her so her back was flat against the ground and she was facing him.

"Nami! I promised I wouldn't let go and I didn't! I wouldn't let that happen to any of my crew!"

"_Luffy..._"

"And you don't need to _thank _me for anything! I wouldn't have let go even if I hadn't of promised! I wouldn't let anything like that happen to you!"

"_Luffy.._"Nami put her hand on his forehead and slid her fingers threw his hair. Nami surprised him by smacking him in the back of the head again. He looked at her surprised.

She laughed.

He started to laugh as well.

Nami covered her face and started to cry as she continued to laugh.

Luffy removed her hands from her face with a concerned look on his own.

"Nami?"

She laughed and pushed him away. She rolled on her side, "It's nothing."

There was a silence. Then Luffy finally said, "Ok."

She sighed.

Luffy rubbed his forearms, "It sure is cold in here! But at least we'll be away from that stupid snake man!"

Nami frowned, rubbing her forearms as well, "Yeah, I wonder who he was.."

Luffy shrugged, "Probably just some wacko."

"He said something really strange to me.."

Luffy looked at her, "What?"

"He said, _"He's been expecting you"_ I wonder who he was talking about.."

Luffy didn't say anything.

She shivered, "Geez! It is cold in here! I'm freezing!

Luffy layed down beside her.

"-and it's too damp to start a fire in here. How are we-"

_**Glomp!**_

"Hey! What are you doing!" Nami shieked, suddenly having Luffy's arms thrown around her.

"Keeping you warm."

"B-b-b-but, Luffy-"

He gave her a mischievous grin, "You don't want to _freeze_ do you?"

She was still surprised but then she smiled and gave a little mischievous grin as well. "I guess not." She turned her head.

"Ok. Good night.." he closed his eyes.

Nami tried to go to sleep but couldn't. Especially when the arm around her was the one that had gotten scratched. Plus Luffy's snoring was really hard to sleep through! Nami stared at the wound, feeling guiltier and guiltier about what had happened the longer she looked at it. _He got hurt because he was protecting me. He got that because of me.. Without my staff I'm useless.. _She closed her eyes. _Completely useless.. _She opened them again._ And who was that guy? And what was he talking about? Maybe it would have been better if Luffy had never met me.. _She closed them. _Maybe..._

She fell asleep.


	3. A Cold Night

Chapter 3 A Cold Night

Nami shivered. _Brrrrrr! It's getting really cold out! _Nami reached behind her to wrap Luffy's arms, which seemed to have fallen off of her, around her again. But to her surprise; nothing was there.

The girl sat up quickly to look behind her. No one was there! _Oh no! _Nami thought. _What if that creature found us and took Luffy!_

Nami rushed to get out from behind the waterfall, shouting his name. "Luffy! Luffy!"

When she was out she was relieved to find him and a bit embarrassed as well.

Luffy was in the water, a little ways away from the waterfall, splashing around without a shirt on.

Nami carefully climbed down the rocks that led up to the waterfall until she was down where Luffy was.

"LUFFY!" she screamed at him.

He looked up at her. "What?"

Standing right in front of him made her realize he wasn't wearing a shirt again. She blushed a little and put a hand up to her face so she wasn't staring at his half naked body.

"What are you doing out here!" she asked, peaking at his face through her fingers.

"Why?" he grinned, "Did you miss me?"

Nami groaned a little and tried to cover the fact she was blushing even more now. "What's the matter with you! Do you want to freeze!"

"Actually, I'm not cold at all!"

"Luffy! Do you realize that if you take one wrong step you could sink and drown!" the girl pointed out.

Luffy frowned, "Aw, come on, Nami! The water only comes up to my waist! Besides this is really fun! You should come in!"

She turned from him, "No thanks! I have more sense than that!"

Luffy grabbed hold of her arm, "Aw c'mon, Nami!" He pulled her in. **_Splash!_**

Nami stood. She was soaking wet!

"LUFFY! LOOK WHAT YOU DID! I'M SOAKING WET! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST-"

"Ha ha!" he pulled her under.

When Luffy let go she stood up again. She coughed. "LUFFY!" she screamed, wiping her eyes.

He pulled her under again.

She stood. Her wet hair hanging in her face. She spit water out of her mouth calmly, then freaked. "THAT'S IT! WHERE ARE YOU! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Luffy stood and wiped her hair out of her face. He grinned, "I'm right here!"

Nami pushed him over. He fell in a shallower part of the water.

"Ha ha ha ha!" he laughed, sitting up, "Take this!" He splashed her. She splashed back.

Even though she protested the whole thing, Luffy slowly dragged her into it. And something that seemed so stupid turned out to be incredibly fun.

* * *

The Straw Hat Crew hurried down the halls of the abandoned church. Not sure of where they were going.

"This way!" Chopper said, pointing while he ran.

Zoro came to the door first and kicked it down. "Give us Luffy and nobody get's hurt!"

An ugly pirate dressed in a sheep costume turned to them. "What is this?" the notorious pirate captain Flaffy said, eyeing the percular crew. "What are you doing here? Don't you know who I am?"

"No," Zoro answered, "and we really don't care. We heard you were holding a pirate captain here, named Luffy and we're here to take him!"

Flaffy stepped forward. "Now see here! You-" the man was never able to finish his sentence. A arm immediately sprouted from his back and began to choke him.

"Give us the chest or die!" Robin ordered.

The pirate captain growled, and kicked a huge chest toward them. They pirates approached it.

"Y-you don't really think they chopped him up and put him in here d-do you?" Usopp stammered.

Zoro sighed. "There's only one way to find out.."

He opened the chest.

The whole pirate crew groaned in discust.

"I think I'm going to be sick!" Sanji said putting a hand over his mouth.

"This isn't Luffy! What did you do with him!" Zoro roared.

"I don't know what you're talking about! I captured a pirate captain named, "Loopy" and chopped him up! I never even met a man named Luffy!"

The whole crew fell over.

"This is all your fault!" Sanji growled at Usopp.

"My fault! How do you figure that!"

"You're the one who said, we should go wherever the wind may take us! Now we're farther away from Luffy than when we started!"

"Knock it off!" Zoro yelled at them, "we're setting sail again and this time we'll go my way!"

The crew started to head out of the room.

"By the way," Zoro started, looking over his shoulder at the weirdo pirate, "you're a horrible pirate." then he left.

* * *

When the two pirates had finished their little water war they decided to rest.

The two pirates sat in the shallow water, just staring up at the dark night sky, or what they could see of it. The view wasn't perfect, tree leaves blocked their view alot.

Nami looked at Luffy curiously. A question lingering in her mind. She looked back up. "Luffy.."

"Yeah?"

"There's something I've been wondering..."

"What?"

"Well, if you can't swim, why did you even bother getting in the water?"

He put his hands behind his head, "I dunno. I guess I kind of miss being able to swim and I wanted to see what the water felt like.."

"Don't you bathe?" Nami teased.

Luffy chuckled, "That's not the kind of feeling I meant."

Nami chuckled, "Wasn't falling overboard enough for you?"

"That wasn't the same."

She turned her head, "Hmmm?"

"I mean the kind of feeling you get when you really feel the water. The way you can relax in it and sometimes feel like you belong there." he frowned, "But even when I'm in the water it doesn't feel the same. The Gum Gum Fruit did something else to me and can't feel the water like you do."

He looked at her.

Nami looked at him in admiration. _I didn't know Luffy could be so deep.._

He looked back up, "Maybe that's what I'm looking for.."

Nami tilted her head curiously. "What?"

Luffy laughed and sat up. "Never mind." he stood and started to walk out of the water, "It's stupid."

_He's looking for something? _She sat up. _I wonder what it is.._

Nami quickly stood and grabbed his arm, "Luffy!"

He stopped and stood still.

"I'm sorry I bugged you about it. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for."

He turned to her. "_Nami.._"

Her heart began to speed up. He seemed to be getting closer to her. _Is he leaning in on me?_ Her heart sped up even more as he got closer and closer to her face. Soon he was right in front of her face, he stopped there and just looked at her, as if he was thinking about something. Like he was debating whether to kiss her or not.

A twig snapped.

The two turned their head toward the source of the noise.

Luffy started to walk away.

"L-Luffy?"

His face glanced at her over his shoulder. His hair shadowed his face, "_Stay here_."

He soon disappeared into the forest.

Nami put her hand on her heart. _What was that about? _She put a hand on her forehead. _Could he actually like me? _She looked in the direction he had left in. _No. That couldn't be. _Her hands fell to her sides. _Could it?_

Another sound of a twig snapping interrupted her thought.

"Luffy? Is t-that you?"

Another twig snapped.

"H-hello?"

A hand rested on her shoulder. Her heart stopped. Her head slowly turned to it. It was a blue webbed hand. She looked up. She gasped. "Arlong!"

Arlong smiled. "Hello, Nami."

"It can't be!" she shrieked pulling away.

It was true! The evil merman that had once enslaved her into making maps, then tricked her was still alive. But how could this be? Luffy had killed Arlong. Didn't he?

He chuckled. "You haven't forgotten me have you?"

"B-but you're dead!"

"I was lucky wasn't I? You should have known that stupid kid couldn't kill your old buddy, Arlong."

She reached for her staff again only to unfortunately remember that it wasn't there.

She took a breath in and got ready to scream his name, "Lu-"

"Be quiet!" Arlong growled covering her mouth. "You wouldn't want any trouble would _you_?"

She pulled out of his arms, "What do you want?"

He grinned, "You should know that all ready Nami."

She swallowed.

"I know you feel really bad about what that Straw Hat did to me. So I know you want to make me lots of maps to make up for it."

Nami stepped back. Even the thought made her want to barf. "No way! I'm not your slave anymore!"

Arlong grabbed her arm. "You don't have a choice!"

"You can't make me make any of your stupid maps! You don't even have a crew anymore!"

Arlong laughed a little. "Actually I do. I'm sure you met one of my crew mates already. After all, I've been expecting you."

Nami gasped. _That snake man!_

"He told me he already took a piece out of Straw Hat and I'm sure he wouldn't mind finishing the job." Arlong laughed.

Nami stood still.

"I'm even going to be generous! I'll give you one more day to think it over. Meet me here tomorrow night. If you don't come I'm going to find you and kill you and that stupid kid!"

She shivered.

"Nami!" Arlong heard Luffy shout.

"Remember!" He started to walk away, then stopped "Oh, and don't tell anyone! Or I'll kill him!" he said coldly without looking back. He ran.

Nami growled. _Who does he think he is!_ She clenched her fists. _Of course I'm going to tell Luffy! Then we're going to kick his silly ass!_

Seconds later Luffy appeared and he was back to his cheerful self.

"You won't believe what I just saw!" he said excited.

"Luffy-"

"Come on!" he urged, grabbing her arm.

Luffy dragged her along until they came out of the woods and onto a small cliff.

"Luffy there's something I have to-"

"Look!" he said pointing to the sky.

Nami did. She gasped. It was meteor shower! Falling bright lights zoomed through the air making a spectacular show before their eyes.

"Wow!" she gasped.

It was absolutely _beautiful_!

She looked at Luffy who was still watching the show. _I can't tell him! I'll risk his life and he's all ready done so much for me.. _Tears welled up in her eyes. She turned her head so Luffy wouldn't see them. She wiped them from her eyes, then looked back at him. The huge smile on his face made her smile a little as well. She looked back at the sky. _I'll do it for him._

"Isn't this awesome!"

A sad smile shown on her face. A beautiful feeling overwhelmed her and she finally knew what it was.

"Yeah," she answered, "It really_ is_..."


	4. Look Me In The Eye

Chapter 4 Look Me In The Eye

The next day Luffy decided they'd need some place better to stay until his crew found them. Since they didn't know the way to the next town, unfortunatly, that meant they would have to go back to the old lady's house and ask for directions. When they finally found their way out of the forest they made their way back to the old lady's house. Then they arrived.

"Are you sure she isn't sore about what you did to her bed?" Nami asked nervously. She was a little uncomfortable with this whole thing. This lady sounded like a real wack job!

Luffy shrugged. "I don't know but we've got to find another place to stay. I'm starving!" He knocked and the old hag came to the door.

"Not you again!" she groaned, "What did you come back to break down now?"

Luffy gave a nervous laugh, "Actually old lady, we were just wondering if there was another town around here and -HEY! OUCH! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!"

"Seems to be healing.." the old lady observed, who had unbottoned Luffy's shirt and ripped off one of the bandages, "But I can tell you haven't given it enough time to completely heal."

"THAT HURT!" he screamed at her.

The old hag iggnored him and looked over at Nami, "Yours seem to be healing okay too." The old lady grabbed hold of their arms and pulled them in. "Hmmm." she observed, "lookes like you need a few stitches."

The old lady pulled off Luffy's shirt.

"HEY! I NEED THAT!" he growled trying to get his shirt back.

She pushed him down on a bed. "Be quiet and let me work!"

Nami tried to speak, "Uh lady-"

"Tsk, Tsk, look at that! You all ready have new bruises!" The old women pushed Nami down next to Luffy. "You're legs look horrible! I'll bandage them right up!"

There didn't seem to be anyway to change the lady's mind so the two pirates just let her work. Nami waited paitently while she brued up some medicine. Luffy on the other hand waited but he was anything but patient! Luffy franticly rubbed his forearms, chattering his teeth. It was a very cold morning and the lady had no source of heat whatsoever! It was freezing in her house! Especially since he didn't have a shirt on! Finally they were all fixed up.

"There you go! Now what were you saying about a town?"

This time Nami explained, "We wanted to know if there was another town around here. We need some place to stay until our crew finds us!"

"Hmm.. Well there is another town. It's on the other side of the forest next to Dead Town's graveyard."

"Yeah, we kind of figured that, but we kind of got lost last time we went in there."

"Do you have a map?" Luffy butted in.

"I do, but I don't know why I should give it to a no good bed breaker like you!"

"As soon as our crew gets here we can pay you for it!" Nami spoke up.

She thought for a moment. "Well all right. But make sure you do! If you don't," she pointed at them, "DOOM ON YOU!"

The two pirates exchanged looks.

Luffy shrugged, "Okay, but you were kind of wrong about last night. There wasn't any "DOOM!" at midnight."

"Oh, wasn't there?" she said glancing at Nami.

Nami gasped. _Could she know about Arlong? But how is that possible?_

"Nope." he grinned, "Thanks alot for the map!"

The two pirates started to head out the door.

"Wait!" she called after them.

They looked back.

"What?" Nami asked.

The old lady eyed Luffy's arm. He put a hand over the scratches and gave her a dangerous glare.

"No doom, eh?" she chuckled.

They left.

When they were outside Luffy grinned, he made a circle in the air with his finger next to his head.

Nami giggled.

* * *

The Straw Hat Crew had set sail again, this time going in the direction Zoro suggested. But unfortually there's never a dull moment on Luffy's ship and there was trouble with the crew.

"HEEEEEELP!" Chopper screamed.

Hanging all the way up on the sail wasn't a pleasent thing. It was enough to make a pirate sea sick! And then some!

"CHOPPER!" Zoro growled, "HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET UP THERE!"

The little blue nosed reindeer glared at Usopp dangerously. Usopp put his hands behind his back innoscently.

"Why did you do that!" Zoro questioned..

"It was an accident!" Usopp explained, "You said to lower the sails and his horns caught on the sails."

"THEY'RE NOT HORNS!" Chopper screamed at him, "THEY'RE ANTLERS!"

"WELL HOW AM I SUPPOST TO KNOW?" Usopp screamed back.

"Snacks for everyone!" Sanji announced coming out of the ships kitchen and onto the deck.

"FOOD!" Usopp slobbered.

"Get back you slobbering slob!" Sanji growled, "no food for Luffy losers!"

"WHAT!"

"You lost Luffy and Nami and now you have to be punished!"

Zoro just tried to keep his cool as they sounds of the ship seemed to do everything in their power to annoy him.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE! MY MOTHER!"

"Obviously not, your mother must have been a dog with the way you slobber..."

"WHAT WAS THAT!"

"YOU HEARD ME!"

"HEY, GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!" Chopper cried.

"THAT'S IT!" Zoro growled pulling out his swords.

Zoro used the handels of the swords to give Sanji and Usopp a good wack on the head. Then he kicked the sail so Chopper would fall down.

Chopper was falling and screaming.

"NOW LISTEN UP! NO ONE HERE IS ALLOWED TO SAY ANOTHER WORD AS LONG AS I'M IN CHARGE OF THIS SHIP! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!"

Sanji and Usopp gave a scared nodd.

The whole time Zoro was giving his speach you could hear Chopper's screaming getting louder until finally he safetly landed on Zoro's head.

_**BOOM!**_

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Zoro rested his cheek on fist and drummed his fingers on the decks floor, "This isn't my day..."

* * *

With the help of the map the old lady had provided for the pirates they were able to find their way out of the woods no sweat! Which allowed them to make their first stop.

Luffy drooled as he watched the chefs prepare huge steaks the size of his head. _"Meat..."_

The two walked into the restraunt and ordered some food.

Luffy went right at it eating steak like he was a starving bear. Nami on the other hand took small bites out her food and was soon full and had Luffy asking her, "Are you going to eat that?"

Finally the two pirates were fullfilled.

"Ah!" Luffy smiled, rubbing his now enormus gut, "That was some good meat!"

"Yeah, tell me about!" Nami agreed, "Okay, go pay the guy and let's go."

Luffy blinked, "Me pay? I thought you were going to pay?"

Nami pounded her hands down on the table, "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO INSISTED IN COMING IN HERE AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY MONEY?"

"I don't carry money with me, I leave it in ship."

She smacked her forehead, "Oh great! Now we have to do all these dishes!"

"Oh well, at least we got to eat!"

Nami raised her fist debating whether or not to punch him.

After the two were finished, they headed back to the beach to see if they're ship had come yet.

But there wasn't a ship in sight.

Things weren't looking good. If their crew didn't find them how would they get to their crew? They couldn't buy a boat, they didn't have any money! And there didn't seem to be any other way off the island. And getting a job so they could save the money up would take way too long. How were they going to get out of there?

The two waited on the beach all day. After awhile Nami sat down. But not Luffy. He just stood there. Hands in his pockets with his eyes fixed on the sea. The wind blew his hair forward. It was getting cold again, but he didn't care.

"I wonder how much longer.." Nami said.

Luffy said nothing.

Maybe it would take a few more days until they would find them, but their chances were pretty bad considering Nami was the Navigater and she couldn't help them. Especially since their most impotant part of the crew was missing, their captain. Who was going to take charge? What if they couldn't find them? What if they had given up all together?

Nami sighed.

"Maybe they're not-"

"No!" Luffy interupted her, looking down at her, "They'll come."

Nami bit her lower lip, "How do you know?"

"I have faith in my crew.." he answered, "they'll find us."

"Well," Nami started, standing, "I guess we should go back to town and figure out where we're staying."

Luffy didn't move. They both stood there for a few more minutes until Luffy finally started to walk away. "Let's go."

The two pirates walked around town, trying to figure out what they were going to do. Then Nami got an idea.

"Look!" she said pointing, "A map shop!"

A grin widened on the pirate captain's face, he laughed threw his teeth with a funny sound affect following it.

Lucky for the two pirates they had already marked trees so if they lost the map they would still know their way through both forests. And since they were going to pay the lady for the map, selling it didn't seem to be a big deal.

After they got the money from the map, they settled into a hotel.

"I guess this is where we're staying!" Luffy said flopping down on one of the beds.

Nami giggled. "Yeah, and we still have some money left over!"

Luffy sat up, then stood. "I think I'll have a little snack before I go to bed," he went to walk out the door, "do you want anything?"

Nami shook her head.

"Ok, I'll be back in a sec!"

He left.

She looked around the room. She was relieved they had came a safe town. Maybe now Arlong won't find me.

The girl yawned then sat on her bed. She flopped onto her stomach holding her pillow tightly.

Even though this whole thing was a nightmare, she liked the fact that she was getting to know her captain better. _Maybe even better than I had expected. _She laughed and sunk her face in her pillow.

"What's so funny, Nami?" a voice asked.

Nami's pupils shrunk. She rolled on her back. "YOU!"

"Hello."

Nami hurried to her feet.

"Thought you could run away from me, didn't you?"

Before she could say anything Arlong back handed her across the face. She fell to the floor.

"Did you tell you're stupid captain too?"

"No! I didn't!"

He smiled, "Good," he frowned again, "now that I know that I can't trust you, I guess we'll have to change our meeting point."

He smacked her again then laughed. The merman bent down and grabbed her shoulders. "Meet me on the beach, at midnight. You don't even want to know what happens if you don't"

He threw her at the bed. She fell to the floor hitting the bed post on the way down. She held her eye.

"Do we understand each other?"

Her voice quivered, "Y-yes."

He smiled, cruel and twisted, "Good girl, Nami. I'll see you later," he walked to the window, "Nighty night." he jumped.

Nami's whole body shook. There was no way out of this now. Scared tears ran down her cheeks. Then something dripped into her mouth. She tasted. She looked in the mirror and gasped.

"Look at all this food!" Luffy said, barging into the room with a tray full of food. He closed his eyes and grinned, "Isn't it great!"

She turned her head so he couldn't see anything. "Yeah it's great, Luffy."

Nami tried to calm herself, but her hand still shook at her side. Luffy noiced it. He set down the tray. "Nami?"

_Oh my god, he saw my hand shaking!_ She tried to steady her breathing. She let out a weak laugh. "Let's get some sleep."

He ran up to her. "Nami, what's wrong?"

She didn't say anything, but she didn't need to. The scared look in her eyes was more than enough to let him know something was wrong.

"Why is you hand shaking?" he asked.

He tried to looked at her face, but she turned it.

"Nami!"

She turned it again.

He grabbed her face, "Look at me!"

He examined it. Nothing seemed wrong.

She smiled, "See I'm fine." her voice cracked.

He brushed hair from her right eye. He gasped. She had a black eye!

"What happened!"

She pushed him and turned away, "It's nothing, I'm fine.."

Luffy just stood there. _Why do my hands feel wet?_ he thought. He looked down at them. Fresh blood stained his hands. Luffy turned her around, he kept a tight grip on her shoulders as he examined her face. Her cheek was bleeding!

"What-"

She pulled away. "It's nothing I'm fine! I-I just tripped!"

He grabbed her arm, "Nami!"

She smacked his hand, "It's nothing."

He grabbed her face again, looking her square in the eye. His eyes tottered back and forth as if searching for the truth, "You're lying to me!"

Nami pulled away, but this time when she did he pushed her forward. She fell onto the bed. She tried to get up but Luffy ran over and pinned her against it. He wasn't going to play games anymore.

"Who did this to you!"

She turned her head. He turned it back to him and held it there. "Who did this!"

Tears were starting to well up in her eyes. _Maybe I could- No I can't!_

She bent her legs and kicked him off of her and against the wall.

"Just leave me alone!" she cried as she ran out of the room.

He ran after her. "Nami!"

_Authore's Note:_

_Just for those who might get the wrong idea. If you think I dislike anyone of the One Piece characters, I don't.I love them all! That's why I like the anime and the manga so much! So if you think I'm being mean to Usopp because I hate him or something I don't. I just need someone to be the dummy in this fic sometimes is all. So for you Usopp lovers, I don't hate Usopp. Actually I admire him for what he did for that one girl. What was here name? Kaya? I don't remember, but I just wanted to note that! Enjoy the rest of the story!_


	5. Bleed

Chapter 5 Bleed

Nami ran as fast as she could through the forest. She finally reached the graveyard. She stopped for a moment and looked back over her shoulder. She didn't see him. _Almost.. _She went to run again but tripped over a tombstone.

She held her leg. The stone had scrapped her knee and it was throbbing in pain.

"Nami! Wait!" she heard Luffy shout.

She gasped and quickly got up and ran out of the graveyard.

Seconds after she had left, Luffy arrived in the graveyard. He turned his head in both directions searching for her. Then he noticed the blood on the stone. He knelt on one knee and examine it. He lifted his head.

_"Nami.."_

* * *

It had been a whole day since the Straw Hat Crew had lost their captain. But they wouldn't give up. Even if they had look forever! So there they sat drifting drifting, searching for any remains of their beloved captain or fellow crew member and Navigater.

Then they saw it.

"What's that?" Zoro said pointing to and object in the water. Everyone ran to the side of the ship to look.

"It's Luffy's hat!" Usopp cried.

Robin sprouted an arm out of the side of the ship and threw it up to them.

"He's gone!" Usopp wailed with fountain like tears shooting of of his eyes.

Zoro looked at the hat, "No he's not!"

"What makes you say that?" Sanji asked.

Zoro chuckled, "Knowing Luffy he wouldn't even die with out this hat!" he looked off in the distance, then pointed, "Let's sail in that direction, it's our best shot!"

* * *

Nami ran through the blinding dark, once in a while the trees would shield the beams of the moon, and Nami couldn't even see the hand in front of her face. She ran even though she didn't know where she was going. She just knew Luffy was chasing her and she couldn't let him catch up. I can't put him in danger again.. Finally she could see the light of the moon again. Her eyes desperatly scanned for the markings they had made on the trees.

She saw one and she ran toward it when all of the sudden out of what seemed like nowhere Luffy jumped her. The two pirates rolled on the ground until they stopped. He pinned her hard against the ground, determined not to let her up.

"Let me go!" she demanded, pushing his face with her free hand.

"No!" he pinned her free hand down, "Not until you tell me what's going on!"

Nami bit her lip.

"Tell me! I can help you!"

A tear slid down her cheek. _No you can't. No one can help me.._

"I don't need your help!" she growled at him struggling.

"Stop it Nami!"

"Let me up!"

"No!"

She kicked him back and she scrambled to her feet trying to get away. He grabbed her and held her hard by her shoulders.

"Let me go!" she screamed at him, punching his chest, "Let me go!" punch! "Let me go!" punch! "Let me go!" punch!

He took every hit, not trying to stop her or asking why.

Hot tears streamed down her face as her punches became weaker and weaker, "L-let go.. Let-"

She was surpised to have Luffy pull her forward into his arms and against his chest. He hugged her tightly. She stood still in surprise, staring over the shoulder her face was being pressed against. She soon found her own arms lifting slowly until they were around him as well. She hugged him tightly and cried.

_If I told him..._

_"It's okay..."_ he said softly.

_If I told him..._

She continued to cry, her tears soaking into his shirt.

_What would he say?_

"_You can tell me, Nami.._"

_If I told him..._

She opened her mouth to speak but the words she longed to say wouldn't come out.

_If I told him..._

She swallowed them hard even though they burned inside her chest.

_Would he turn me away?_

I can't do this to him... She gripped his shirt tightly. I won't let him get hurt again because of me. She pushed herself out of his arms and (imagine this in slow motion) slapped him across the face. The sound of it seemed to echo through the forest. As if recording a mistake that she could never forgive herself for. They both froze a moment in the forms they had taken. Nami's hand was still raised in the air in the height she had slapped him in. And Luffy stood there, his head still turned in the direction she had slapped it.

Even though he wasn't looking at her, the look on his face cut deeper than any knife. It was a look of feeling betrayed, hurt, deceived and countless other emotions. It cut through her making her feel guilty and made her long to apoligize.

If this was a mistake it was too late to make up for it now. As far as she was concerned there was no reason to stay when there would be nothing left. There's nothing left for me... She ran.

_If I could say these words I longed to say..._

Luffy didn't watch her go. He stayed in his position and said nothing. Then he turned his head. His hair shadowed his face but you could see his eyes lift and stare in the direction she had left. Would he go after her?

_Would he turn me away?_

_

* * *

_

After what seemed like being lost for hours Nami finally reached the beach. And she found she didn't have to wait for Arlong, he was waiting for her, him and a crew of snake men. She was hesitant but she finally went over to him.

He smiled "Good girl, Nami. I knew you would come."

Her eyes glanced at the ship behind him. She assumed it was his.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Let's just get this over with."

"All right," he grinned, "Right this way, Nami."

Nami started to make her way up the gank plank when suddenly, Arlong grabbed her.

"Hey! What are you doing!" she demanded.

He laughed hystericly, "You didn't really think I was going to let that straw hat get away with what he did to me, did you? Come on, Nami, you know me better than that! You're still coming with us of course, but you're just the bait!" he answered her.

Nami was furious! But it really didn't matter anyway. She was positive Luffy wouldn't come after her so this whole thing was just a lost cause.

He went on, "When he gets here I'm going to finish him off!"

She laughed.

He looked at her suspiciously, "What's so funny?"

"You fool," she began lowering her head smiling slyly. "He won't come! I made sure of that!"

Arlong looked off into the distance."Oh, _yes_, he _will_, I know he _will_."

_What a fool! _she thought. _After what I did to him he'd never come after me! He'd never-_

"Nami!"

Nami gasped. Her heart skipped a beat. _T-that voice... It can't be him! _Her head slowly lifted. Sure enough it was him, he was running towards them._ He came anyway? But why? How could he come here after what I did to him?_

"So you're finally here," Arlong said with a chuckle. "I knew you'd come."

Luffy looked shocked for a moment. "You! You're dead!"

Arlong laughed, "And yet, here I am!"

The pirate captain glanced at Nami then back at Arlong, "_You're_ the one who hit Nami! Weren't you!" Luffy growled clenching his fists.

The merman smirked, "So what if I _did_?"

The rubber man growled shaking his fists with a dangerous look in his eyes. "You'll pay for that!" Luffy's fist went flying forward.

Arlong jumped out of the way, letting Luffy go flying past him. "I see you're using the same old tricks! But I've learned some new ones!"

Before Luffy could ask what he meant blood spattered in the air as something cut a small scratch on Luffy's face. He stopped for a moment, felt his face and looked at the blood on his hands."What the-" A couple other cuts appeared as if someone was hacking at him with a pocket knife.

"I ate a cursed fruit as well!" Arlong told him, "The Scratch Scratch fruit! I can scratch you up by merely using my mind!"

More scratches appeared. "I could scratch you to death if I wanted to but I prefer to make your death slow and painful!" He let go of Nami and pushed her over to one of the snake men.

Luffy ran at him, "Gum Gum Blast!" Arlong grabbed Luffy's arm and threw him down. Luffy lifted his head out of the sand, as he did three scratches appeared on his face. He growled and stood then ran at him again trying to punch him. Arlong went to grab Luffy's arm but Luffy tripped him with his leg. Luffy jumped on top of the merman and started rapidly pounding on his chest. A scratch cut across his eye, "AHHH!" Luffy screamed holding his eye in pain. Arlong took the opportunity and kicked Luffy off of him. Arlong rushed at him.

"Luffy!" Nami screamed.

But about the time Luffy took his hand off his eye Arlong had punched him in the face sending him skitting across the sand. Arlong grinned and gave the pirate time to stand. When he stood arlong walked up to him, Luffy went to punch him but Arlong grabbed his fist. Then without warning he ripped Luffy's shirt open. Luffy stared at him questionably, he looked into Arlongs eyes, they turned into the eyes sharks have just before they're about to kill.

Dozens of scratches ripped at Luffy's chest. His eyes slowly looked over at Nami as blood trickled down his chest. Her face was shocked and scared. Sweat heavily clear on her face. His eyes rolled back and he fell onto his knees, then forward.

Nami screamed. "LUFFY!" she cried.

She tried to get away but the snake man held her tightly.

Arlong kicked Luffy's body, he didn't move. Arlong laughed, "Okay, our job is done here! Let's set sail for Coco Village!"

"NO!" Nami screamed trying to charge at Arlong.

The snake man held her back by her wrists.

"I didn't agree to this! You didn't tell me this would happen!"

"Tough luck, girl! But don't worry about anything, things will just go back to the way they were!"

Nami gasped. _The way they were?_

"NOOOO!" she screamed. _What have I done? What have I done?_

"Bring her along!" Arlong motioned to the snake man.

She struggled with all her might to break free, "NO! NO! LUFFY! LUFFY!"

* * *

"I think we're getting closer!" Chopper announced to the crew.

Usop looked off in the distance, then pointed, "LAND HOE!"

Zoro ran to the side of the ship and raised a telescope to his eye. "Yeah, that's land all right! Finally I thought we'd never-" he gasped, "LUFFY!"

"WHERE?" everyone asked stampeding over to the side of the ship knocking Zoro down.

A weak finger lifted and pointed, "Right there! On the shore line!"

When Zoro stood Usopp took the telescope and looked for himself, "HE'S ALIVE!"

"Where? Where?" Sanji questioned squishing up against Usopp's cheek.

_"THERE!" _Usop said angrily, pointing.

Sanji took the telescope from Usopp and looked, "He is alive! But where's Nami!"

Chopper took the telescope from Sanji. "I guess we'll find out when we ask Luffy."

When the ship was moared everyone hurried off of it.

"Luffy!" they all screamed.

Zoro was the first to get to him. He knelt beside him. "Luffy?"

When Luffy didn't answer he flipped him over.

"He's in pretty bad shape." Zoro said looking Luffy over as Chopper knelt beside him.

"Let's get him onto the ship!" Sanji spoke up when he got to his captain.

Zoro and Sanji started to lift him.

_"Nami..."_

Zoro and Sanji exchanged looks then looked at his face. "Luffy?"

Luffy's eyes opened part way. _"Nami.."_

"Where is Nami?" Sanji questioned franticly.

Luffy eyes shut slowly and his head fell forward.

Zoro looked at Sanji, "Let's get him on board."

* * *

Nami sat in the dark, her hands chained to the wall.

There was nothing she could do. Luffy was dead and soon she would be making maps for Arlong again with Coco Village under his command. _I've ruined everyone's lives including my own._ _And now Luffy's dead and it's all my fault._ She felt like she was going to go insane. All the things he had said were running through her head, echoing, like she was in some ghostly nightmare. _It's almost like I cut him and made him bleed myself! _She began to cry. _How could this happen? How could this happen?_

_Authore's Note:_

_I know the "Scratch Scratch Fruit" thing is kind of lame but it works well with my idea. I know it's probably not a real cursed fruit so don't flame me! Btw I saw someone complain about how I use what Luffy says in the anime when he attacks "Gum Gum kick" or whatever. I just wanted to tell them I'm not going all original with this fanifc, I get most of my knowledge from the anime, I haven't finished the manga yet. The only reason I called "Zolo" (american anime name) "Zoro" (original manga name) is cuz' I have a friend who would spaz if I didn't so I'm sorry if everyone's not in perfect character or if I use something from the amercian anime verson. So sorry readers. :( Btw to that one person, thanx for the constructive critism I can use what you told me! Thank you:) And don't worry I don't hate you. It's just a fanfic nothing to get uppset over._


	6. I Care More Than That

Chapter 6 I Care More Than That

Luffy's heavy eyelids opened slowly, he awoke with a cold cloth to his forehead. He looked around, he was in the captains quarters, he was back on his ship!

Then he remembered, "NAMI!" he shouted sitting up quickly, letting the cloth fall on the bed. His body quivered at the sudden pain that shot through him. "I gotta' find her!" he said turning to the side of the bed.

When he pushed his arms down on the side of the bed to help him stand an escrutating pain overwhelmed him that made him scream and fall onto the floor.

His crew came rushing in, in panic.

Usopp was the most panicky out of all of them. "What's wrong Luffy? What's the matter? Why did you scream? Are you okay?" He looked down noticing him on the floor, "AHHHHHHHHHH! HE'S _DEAD_!" Usopp fainted.

"What do you think you're doing!" Zoro growled at him helping him off the floor and back onto the bed.

"We've got to save Nami!" Luffy said struggling to get back up.

"What? Where is Nami?" Sanji questioned.

"Arlong captured her!"

The one's who had witnessed that event looked at each other.

"I think you need to lie down.." Sanji said.

"NO! I'm serious I saw Arlong with my own two eyes! We have to save her!" Luffy tried to get up but Zoro pushed down on his face so he wouldn't be able to. "HEY! LET ME! LET ME UP! LET ME UP! LET ME UP!"

"You're not going anywhere, Luffy!" Zoro yelled at him.

"Yeah, besides you done in that old fish head. How could he be alive?" the chef pointed out.

Luffy growled and looked at Sanji with big pointy chompy teeth, "I DON'T KNOW BUT WE HAVE TO FIND HIM AND GET NAMI BACK!"

Zoro lowered his hand, "Luffy are you sure?"

"Yes! I'm telling you the truth!"

Zoro nodded, "All right then, let's go!"

"Are you serious?" Sanji asked in disbelief, "How do you know Luffy wasn't just seeing things?"

The swordsman looked at him, "I think our captain knows what he's doing," he looked back at their captain, "Do you know where they took her?"

"Before I went unconcious, I heard them say they were going back to Coco Village."

"Oh great, don't tell me we have to go back there again." Sanji moaned.

"Maybe we can catch them before they reach it..." Zoro pondered.

"All right then let's go!" Luffy said attempting to get up again.

"You stay down here and rest!" Zoro ordered resting a hand on his shoulder, "We'll tell you when we get there, or see Arlong's ship."

"But-"

"Don't worry," Zoro assured him. "we'll find her."

Usopp sat up, "What happened?"

Sanji rolled his eyes, "Come on!" he said grabbing him by the back of the shirt and pulling him out of the room.

Everyone left, except for Chopper.

Even though he didn't want to, Luffy got back into bed, but he didn't lay down. Chopper jumped up on the bed beside him and examined his wounds. The little reindeer doctor went right to work treating everything. Then something caught his eye. "What happened to your arm?" he asked, eyeing the scratches.

"Some weird snake guy did that. It's no big deal.."

"No big deal!" the little reindeer repeated, "It's _infected_!"

Luffy looked at it. The scratches on his arm were buldgey, purple and pussy. Clear liquid oozed out of it. It was enough to make someone sick!

"What kind of creature was this?"

The captain shrugged carelessly.

"This is really serious! If I can't find out what kind of creature attacked you so I can treat this, you could have to get your arm amputated or even worse you could die!"

Luffy didn't say anything, his mind was somewhere else.

"HEY! Are you listening to me!"

He didn't answer.

"Well, whatever," said the reindeer putting bandages over the infection, "I'm going to read up on this and see what I can find to treat it," the reindeer hopped off the bed and left the room.

The pirate captain watched him go, then looked out the window. He sighed.

* * *

Nami's whole front of her shirt was soaked by the tears she had cried. She had cried so much she could hardly breathe. She could hardly believe what had happened. The only person who had ever stopped and took time to help her was gone, killed right in front of her eyes. Through everything she had been through he had been there, when Arlong had tricked her, he was there, when she had gotten sick, he was there, he was always there. He was always there to pick her up again when she'd fall. And through everything else she had experienced he had never let her down. And now... And now she had let him down. She couldn't help him when he needed her most. And what made it all worse was that the snake men seemed to enjoy coming down and torturing her. But even though that was horrible and hurt immencly what she had done hurt her more.

"Oh, god," she sobbed, "how could this happen?"

She wept.

* * *

Luffy lay on his bed awake, staring at the ceiling. How could he rest at a time like this? One of his crew was in trouble! How could they expect him to take it easy?

Luffy turned to his side. Then there was a knock on the door. He glanced at it, "Who is it?"

"It's me." Zoro's voice answered.

He turned his head, "Come in."

Zoro opened the door, "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Ok, I guess.."

"Just thought I should let you have this." he heard the swordsman say, as he tossed something on the bed.

He turned to it, when he saw what it was he lit up like a light bulb, "My straw hat!"

"Yeah, we found it in the water, that's kind of how we found you."

Luffy stared at it grinning from ear to ear.

"We've spotted Arlong's ship!" a voice from on deck shouted.

Luffy grinned madly and laughed his laugh as he set the hat on top of his head. He pushed it forward over his face so it hid his eyes, "Let's do this!"

Zoro and Luffy hurried on deck and just as they had said, there was a ship in sight. But was it Arlong's? No one needed to ask, their captain told them right away, "That's it!"

"Ok," Zoro nodded, "let's go!"

The crew scampered around the ship, trying to make sure they would catch up with them.

* * *

"Captain Arlong!" one of the snake men shouted rushing over.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Another pirate ssssship'ss aproaching. It ssssseemssss to be following usssss."

The merman walked to the back of the ship. Indeed someone was following them. But who was it? He noticed someone was standing at the front of the it. The merman squinted trying to see who it was. He held a telescope to his eye. Then he knew, "It can't be!"

"What isssss it?" the snakeman asked.

"Open fire on that ship!" Arlong commanded shoving the telescope into the guy's chest.

"Yesssssss ssssir!"

* * *

Luffy grinned widely. Soon they would have Nami back and everything would be just fine. Absolutely nothing could go wrong now!

_Boom!_

Hot lead flew thick through the air and the smell of burnt gun powder. But lucky for the Straw Hat Crew they missed.

"They're fireing at us!" Usopp screamed in panic.

"Avoid Cannon Fire!" the captain ordered.

The crew did their best.

Cannon were booming, lead whistled through the air in all directions. Even though the crew did their best to avoid being hit the pirate ship was taking damage and things didn't look good.

Another cannon ball flew through the air and struck the side of the ship. Luffy looked over the edge and examined it. "HEY!" he screamed angrily, "STOP BLOWING HOLES IN MY SHIP!"

A cascade of water drenched him as a cannon ball slammed into the ocean close to the starboard side.

Luffy growled through clenched teeth. "THAT'S _IT!_ I'VE HAD IT!"

"HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE _DOING_!" Zoro questioned Luffy, who had stretched his arms out between two beams on the ship.

"Gum Gum-

"LUFFY DON'T-"

_BOING!_

"Rocket!"

"LUFFY!"

It was too late, the pirate couldn't hear him now, he was too far away now, sailing though the air toward Arlong's ship holding his hat so he wouldn't lose it again.

"Don't worry!" Luffy shouted back, "I'll save Nami and be back before you can say, "Gold Roger!"

Maybe if he had been looking it wouldn't have happened.

_SPLAT! _Luffy's body pasted across the front of Arlongs ship like a fly across a wind sheild, leaving him flat as a pancake.

Before his body slid off he stretched his hand up and grabbed the side of the ship. He pulled himself up and peeked over.

Guards were everywhere. _Now what?_ He looked for Arlong and spotted him at the front of the ship. He growled and looked away.

_Now to focus on these morons. _Luffy ducked down, then stretched his arm out punching one of the snake men with his fist.

The guard next to him looked as the snake pirate groaned and fell over. By the time he had looked Luffy's way he as well was knocked out by a smack in the face. Luffy snickered as he tapped one of the snake men on the shoulder, then when he looked punched him. When Luffy had knocked out all the pirates in his way he pulled himself up and climbed over onto the ship.

He turned his head in both directions trying to decide where to look first. _I know! Below the deck! Where else would she be?_

He made his way down below. There was a door, he slammed it open.

"Nami!"

Nope, wrong door.

About fifty snake men, who had been sitting at tables drinking, stopped their talking in an instant and stared at the pirate.

A sweat drop slid down his forehead. "Oops.."

"Get him!" one of them shouted.

Luffy started to fight them but found out they were extreamely hard!

He punched three on each side of him while kicking a few in front of him. But they didn't go down as easy as the others he had sneakily knocked out. It took a couple hits to kill or knock out these guys. His arm stretched forward as he punched one in front of him. Another one came up from behind him and slammed him to the floor. He quickly lifted himself up and continued to fight. Another snake man punched him in th stomach and sent him flying across the room and crashing into a wall.

He fought as best he could but there were too many and they were too strong for him to take on all at once. He was going to make a break for it but found himself burried under a ton of snake men.

He was angry now, he couldn't get beaten like this! He growled. With all his might he forcefully pushed himself up. Snake men flew everywhere.

This was his chance! He had to get out of that room, find Nami and get the heck out of there! With no further delay he ran for it. When he was out of the room he turned to go down a hallway and then stopped and hid when he noticed more snake pirates. They were standing in front of a door and seemed to be guarding it.

Luffy chuckled quietly grinning widely.

* * *

Nami was still crying, creating a puddle of tears in front of her. She hadn't stopped since they had left the island. She was starting to get dehidrated and was almost all out of tears. She cried out in distress. _Luffy.. Luffy..._

Nami was in such dispair she didn't hear the two thuds outside of the door.

She sniffled.

"Luffy... This is all my fault!"

She cried again.

"No, it isn't."

"Yes, it is!" she insisted, "You wouldn't be dead if I hadn't done all this!"

"But I'm not!"

"Oh, Luffy I wish you were here.. I wish you-" she stopped and gasped as she realized he was talking to her. _Oh my god! A ghost!_

She looked around but didn't see anyone. _I must be going mad.. _She hung her head and cried again.

Suddenly she felt a hand slide under her chin. She gasped as it lifted her head. She gasped again, shocked as she stared at Luffy's face.

He smiled "Don't cry, Nami. I _am _here!"

"L-Luffy.." she looked away, "How could you come here after what I did.."

He let go of her face. He became serious for a moment. He looked away also, the pain on his face from before clearly shown, like the thought of what had happened stung. "What you did hurt me, Nami..."

She closed her eyes, the thought stung her as well. She didn't expect to be forgiven. She didn't deserve it! As far as she was concerned it would serve her right if Luffy left that second and never returned.

"But I don't care.."

Her face lifted, she gasped. Hope and surprise lit in her eyes.

He looked at her and put his hand under her chin again. "Because I care about you..."

Her heart sped up.

"More than I care about that."

She didn't understand. How could he care about about her at all after what she had done?

There was a silence for a moment.

Her lip quivered. "I- I don't undertsand.."

The childish grin came back, "You don't have to!" he closed his eyes, "you're part of my crew and that's all that matters to me!"

He let go of her face, stood and put the key he had taken from the guards in the keyhole of the shackles.

"Just hang on a sec! I'll have you free in a jiffy!" It unlocked, "There!" he said unlocking the second one, "You're free! And now we can- WOAH!"

Luffy never finished his sentence he stopped short when Nami flew into his arms and knocked them both to the down. Leaving her on top of him and his back flat against the floor.

"Hey What's-"

She hugged him tightly. _"I thought you were dead.. I thought I would never see you again." _She sniffled.

"It's okay..."

_"I'm so sorry! This whole thing is all my fault!"_ She cried.

He put a hand on her forehead and ran his fingers through her hair. _"It's okay..."_

Her tear splattered onto his face. He sat up partually and hugged her for a long moment then let her go. Her arms weakly held her up.

_"I'm so glad,"_ her eyes squinted weakly, _"you're all right."_ She collapsed onto him.

He caught her, then scooped her up. He stood staring down at her, his eyes full of concern. He caressed her cheek with the back on his hand. _Nami... _He looked out the window in the room and said quietly, _"It's okay.."_

* * *

Zoro leaned over the side of the ship. _Come on Luffy.. We can't hold out forever. _

"LOOK!" Robin exclaimed.

Pirates from Arlongs ship swang over on ropes and began to invade the _Going Merry_.

"What are we going to do?" Usop, who had been cornered asked.

Zoro looked at the snakes on eather side of him. He screamed his answer, "FIGHT."

Zoro went right to work with his master swordsman skills killing as many as of the snake men as he could.

Sanji also went to work kicking the pirates that dared to get a leg length near him.

Usopp picked the ones off near him with his sling shot.

Robin used her ability, putting it to good use.

Chopper took his human form and pounded on any of the snake men that dared to come near him.

The enemy was very strong! Were they too strong? Could the Straw Hat Crew hold out until Luffy returned?

* * *

Luffy walked up stairs onto the deck. As would be expected, he was surrounded by the snake men pirates, with Arlong standing in the midst of them.

"So you're alive." Arlong grimaced.

Luffy stared at him saying nothing.

"And you thought you could just sneak onto my ship and take my little Nami away without a fight."

Luffy set Nami down.

Arlong laughed. "Think again!"

The snake men attacked.

Luffy charged at them with his fist ready to slam their faces, but they were unexspectingly fast.The snake men lashed at him with their claws cutting him, making him bleed. One of them raised their hand for a second strike, but Luffy grabbed it's arm and threw it over his head. Another one of them lunged at him but even though they were fast he was faster! He quickly bolted out of the way. Another came up from behind him and knocked him down. They scruffeld on the ground trying to be the one on top. As they rolled along they tripped other snake men, then finally Luffy was victorious and threw him off. His victory was short lived as other snake men attacked him.

"Gum Gum double barrel!" he shouted punching two in the chest.

Two more came up from behind him. The fight seemed pointless. These guys were obviously stronger than him especially since there were so many. Even though he tried his best it wasn't good enough and they restrained him. Two snake men held him by his arms, holding them behind his back. One of the snake men behind him leaned their head forward opening their mouth near his neck like a vampire threatening to bite him.

"STOP!" Arlong shouted.

They looked at him.

"He's mine!"

Arlong walked forward from where he had been standing. He made his way to Nami, when he was in front of her he pulled her away from the the pirate.

"Don't touch her!" Luffy screamed at him angrily struggling to break free.

Arlong laughed defiently. "You stupid P-human! After I kill you and return to Coco Village I'm going to make everything go back to the way it was!" he leaned down to pick Nami up, "Nami will make maps for me and bring me treasure and Coco village will go back under my control and there's nothing you can do about it! And I'll-"

**POW!**

Luffy's fist smashed into Arlong's cheek and knocked him down. Arlong looked up at him hatefully.

Luffy's hand rested on the back of his arm as his stance from his punch stayed the same, his face hidden by his hat, his fist still clenched.

"I said, "don't touch her!"

Luffy looked up his eyes met with Arlong's. Shark eyes..

Pieces of skin were torn as scraches appeared on Luffy's face.

_**POW!** _Luffy punched him again. Scratches tore at his face. He punched him again as more scratches appeared.

The snake men were about to restrain him but in the next instant they found they didn't need to. When Luffy raised his fist again his wrist slit open, he cried out in pain as it did. This hurt more than the other scratches so the pirate stopped for a moment. He held his wrist squeezing it, as if trying to surpress the pain, but unfortunatlly the pain had only begun. Arlong slit other blood veins making Luffy so focused on pain he didn't have the will to fight.

This time _Arlong_ punched _Luffy_. Once in the face and once in the stomach. Luffy's body flew across the ship, hit a wall then slid down it.

"Foolish P-human!" he laughed, "Did you really think those pathetic punches would do me in?"

Luffy didn't answer, his mind was too focused on the pain pulsing through him. His body flinched and quivered from it.

"Finish him!" Arlong said with no more desire to waste his time on the human.

One of the Snake men leaned down opening their mouths like before. Luffy eyes that had been closed opened partually and looked at the fangs approaching him.

"Pretty soon their poison will being pusling through you veins!" Arlong explained as the snake man leaned over more. "And you'll die! You'll die slowly and painfully!"

The snake man was about to bite when Luffy's hand flew up and clutched around it's throat. "I wont let you... take her..." he said weakly.

Arlong smiled, "You don't have the strength!"

Arlong was right, he didn't have the strength, his strength was almost completely gone and he didn't even have enough of it to hold his arm up any more. His hand slid off of the snake man's neck and fell to his side. He closed his eyes.

The snake man leaned in again. It's teeth sunk into flesh as it unleashed it's poison into the veins-

Arlongs eyes opened wide in shock.

Luffy's pupils shrunk.

-but they weren't Luffy's

"NAMI!"

She put herself in the way to save him! The poison pulsed through her veins just as Arlong had promised. Her body went limp and she fell to the deck floor.

Luffy lifted her a little, "NAMI! NAMI!" he cried shaking her.

She didn't move.

The begining of tears were clearly shown in Luffy's eyes as he looked up at the merman, "YOU SICK BASTARD! YOU KILLED HER!"

Arlong was frozen, saying nothing, he just as shocked as Luffy was.

Luffy sucked the poison from the bite and spat it out.

"NAMI! NAMI! he screamed shaking her a little. When she didn't comply he continued to suck the poison from her.

Still nothing.

"Don't worry!" he said to her though tear filled eyes, "I'll save you!"  
He held Nami against his chest, his arms flew forward.

"Gum Gum-"

He pulled back.

"Sling Shot!" (I don't know)

Nami flew through the air and landed on the deck of the _Going Merry._

Luffy grinned weakly then fainted.

_Authores Note:_

_Thanks for the help with the attacks but there was ALOT on that page to read and I can't be online as long as I want so I have to stick with the American names. Sorry. Maybe I'll change them if I ever get time to read them. Sorry about the sling shot thing I didn't know what it was called.. (refering to what he did to Wapol. Ya know when he was chewing on Luffy and Luffy sent him flying. I wanted to use that so I could send Nami to safety. Well anyways don't be too mad at me. :)_


	7. Torture

Chapter 7 Torture

"Nami! Nami!" a voice called to her.

She awoke with a start, sitting up right, breathing heavily, her face broken into sweat. She looked around. _I'm back on the Going Merry?_

"Nami!" a voice squeeled in pure delight.

She turned her head.

"I'm so glad your all right!" said Sanji's grinning face as he wiped tears and snot onto his sleeve.

"You sure gave us scare." Zoro, who was also in the room along with all the other pirates, said wiping his forehead.

"How are you feeling?" Chopper asked.

"I'm fine, thanks," she answered with a nod, "but what happened?"

"Well," Zoro began, "It seems Luffy-"

"Luffy?" she interupted, looking around, "Where is Luffy!"

"He saved you." Chopper answered looking up at her from the side of the bed,

"But he wasn't able to save himself." Sanji added.

She gasped then yelled, "Why didn't you save him?"

"We wanted to but between fighting snake pirates and having the ship blown to pieces we really didn't get a chance to." Zoro replied. "And after we got rid of all those pirates we had to fall back, the ship couldn't afford any more damage."

She was afraid to ask, "W-where is Luffy now?"

There was a silence then Zoro answered, "The merman captured him."

Nami gasped. "What? Where are they?"

"They probably made it to Coco Village already." Sanji answered.

She got on her knees, "We have to save him!"

"Don't worry," Zoro said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "We will."

Nami gripped her blankets tightly. _Not again! Not again!_

_

* * *

_

Luffy's head hung heavily, it swayed a little as he began to come to.

_"Oooooh..."_ he groaned.

His eyes slowly opened partually and became aware of his surroundings. He was in a small room. There wasn't much to it. It was cold and damp. There was a small light, he guessed there a small window behind him. Then he realized he was in the room he had found Nami in.

He tried to move forward only to find his hands were shackled to the wall behind him. He also discovered his ankles were shackled as well. He strained to break free but it hurt him so he stopped. His still half way open eyes looked around, there was a door in front of him, it looked like a dungeon door. He struggled a little again but soon after stopped. He hurt worse than before, he ached everywhere.

Even though this all majerly sucked, he was surprised he was even alive! He had been beat up pretty badly and after all, Arlong did want to kill him. What was this all about?

"Good morning!" Arlong said opening the door.

The pirate Captain hung his head.

"And how was your night?" he asked squating down in front of the pirate.

Luffy lifted his head and spat at him.

The merman growled and wiped his face. He back handed the pirate then said, "I suppose your wondering why I let you live."

Luffy lowered his head and shook it.

Arlong sneered, "Well I'll tell you anyway," he snorted, "Seeing how you let my little Nami get away, I thought if I wanted to get her back I'd have to leave you alive so she could come and rescue you!"

You couldn't see it since his head was hanging but the pirate was clearly growling.

"And then when she gets here I'm going to kill you and make her my slave!"

Luffy's head flew forward biting Arlong in the face. The merman screamed in surprise then ripped Luffy's mouth off of his face.

The two glared at each other for a moment both growling and grinding their teeth.

"I'll never let you hurt Nami!" he shouted at him. _"Never!"_

Then Luffy gasped. There they were again! Shark eyes! Before Arlong did anything Luffy wacked Arlong in the head with a powerful headbutt knocking him down.

The merman sat up. "You'll pay for that!" he hissed.

He kicked the pirate captain in the stomach then punched him five times in the face.

The merman stood, glaring down at him, smiling in truimph.

Luffy's body flinched.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you!" Arlong taunted.

The pirate Captain glared up at him hatefully, "Same here!"

Arlong laughed, "And what do you think you're going to do?"

His voice was cold and distant "I'm going to kill you! That's what I'm going to do!" he replied.

He glared. "Not likely, kid!" the merman smiled, "More like the other way around." he laughed.

He didn't laugh long because the next second Luffy bit his ankle. The merman cried out and shook him off. He kicked him then stepped back. "Don't worry," he said opening the door to leave. "I'll make sure Nami has a front row seat as she watches you die! HAHAHAHAHA!" he left.

Luffy hung his head.

* * *

Everyone had left the room except Chopper of course, who had to make sure Nami was okay.

_Why on earth did he save me? He practicaly gave his life for me! But why? I don't deserve his help.. Why Luffy? Why?_

"I sure hope we can find Luffy in time." Chopper said, handing Nami a glass of water.

She took a sip then sighed. "Yeah, I hope Arlong hasn't done anything to him."

"Oh, I'm not worried about that, Luffy's strong, he can take whatever that guy throws at him."

Nami looked at him concerned and confused, "Then what were you talking about?"

"His infection." he answered as he finished his checkup.

"His infection?" Nami repeated, as she set the glass down.

"Yeah! I figured out what I can use to treat it! I just hope nothing has already happened." the reindeer cocked his head to one side, "You didn't know about it?"

Her eyes widened, "No!" she pounded her fist down against the bed. "Why didn't he tell me!"

He shrugged, "Maybe he didn't want you to worry."

She put a hand against her face. _All this time he had an infection and he didn't tell me? But why?_ She glanced out the window._ I sure hope he's all right.._

She looked back at the reindeer, afraid to ask, "W-what can happen to him?"

* * *

Luffy's arm was beginning to throb with pain. He swung his head sickly. _Man, I feel dizzy.. _He looked up at door, his vision of it swayed. He hung his head. _I feel sick.._He shook his head hard, then looked up with determination in his eyes._ No! I can't feel sick! I have to get out of here!_

He looked around for any possible way of escape. There was nothing he could use to free himself. The only things in the room was a window and a door... The door!

Luffy stretched his neck out and grabbed the handle with his teeth. He tried to turn it.

"Come on!" he said through his teeth, "Open!"

When it didn't work he let go. He tried again only this time he used his neck. Luffy stretched his neck forward and wrapped it around the door a couple times.

He coughed, "I'm choking!" he said in a raspy voice.

Then he thought about it. _Luffy, you moron! It's probably locked!_

Suddenly footsteps could be heard. He tried to yank his neck back, but found he couldn't. _I'm stuck!_

The door flung open smashing Luffy's face into the wall.

"Just thought I'd!- AAARGH!"

Arlong went flying head first into the wall in front of him, as he tripped over Luffy's neck when he walked in.

The door shut behind him. Luffy saw him and laughed.

"You think that's funny, huh?" The merman growled.

Luffy unraveled his neck putting it back in place.

"If you think that's funny you'll think this is hilarous!"

The pirate screamed as his throat slit.

Arlong smiled. "You're lucky! That's just a little scratch! Any more and you'd already be dead!"

Luffy eyes looked up at him, he growled dangerously.

"You think you can- OOF!"

With the use of Luffy's head as a battering ram, Arlong's body smashed against the door.

Scratches sliced at the pirate. He refused to scream again for Arlongs pleasure, so he held it in, the only thing that got out was a short grunt.

"Don't mess with me, kid!" Arlong warned him, "I'm surprised you're not dead already, but I can kill you any time I want!"

Luffy chuckled, "_You_ can never kill _me_!"

Arlong bended his head down, "And why is that?"

One eye could be seen as he looked up, "Because you're nothing!"

"SHUT UP!" the merman yelled smacking him knocking off his hat.

"HEY!" the pirate captain shouted.

Arlong grinned, "You like that?" He stepped on it.

Luffy struggled. "STOP THAT!"

"I know you'll like this!" he smashed it with the back of his heel.

"STOP IT!" he struggled even harder now."STOP IT!"

Arlong could hear the bolts starting to break out of the wall, even when it seemed he was at his weakess point Luffy seemed to have suddenly grown up to his strongest in just a minute. The merman knew he shouldn't play around with that anymore. To stop him he scratched him even more. When Luffy continued to struggle Arlong punched him. Finally Luffy stopped. He hung his head.

Arlong knelt down bringing a knife to Luffy's throat. "I should just kill you right now!"

Luffy eyed the weapon nervously.

Arlong smiled. He rested the blade against Luffy's shoulder and started cutting down slowly. Luffy tried to hold back, but he couldn't and he screamed.

"Their here!" one of the pirates shouted.

Luffy lifted his head and gasped.

Arlong lowered the knife and stood "I'll be right up!" the merman shouted back.

Arlong bent down beside the pirate and grabbed his face. "You know what?" he sneered, looking Luffy directly in the eyes, "You're the one who's nothing." he wipped his face out of his hand then left.

The door slammed.

Luffy ground his teeth, he looked down, "Jerk..."

Then suddenly something happened, something strange and painful. His chest started to hurt, it felt like fire shut up in his bones! Then he heard something. _Ta-thump ta-thump ta-thump. _He could hear his heart beat! But why was it so loud? It started to speed up. _Ta-ta-thump! Ta-ta-thump! Ta-ta-thump!_

The front of his body began to shake. Suddenly a horrible and extreme pain developed in his chest. It felt like someone was stabbing his chest and trying to rip his heart out! But even though his chest hurt immencly his arm hurt worse. He screamed as the entire pain became worse. His body shook violenty, as it began to worsen. Then suddenly, it stopped. His heart beat slowed down then was steady and grew quieter. Then it was gone.

He breathed heavily. _What's happening to me?_

_

* * *

_

For Nami it was good to be home but she had no time to waste! Every second was crucial in saving Luffy's life!

When the _Going Merry _was moared, the Straw Hat Crew hurried out of the ship and into Coco Village.

Nojiko was the first one to greet them.

"Nami!" Nami's sister shouted running up to them. "It's terrible! Arlong's alive!"

The Navigator sighed. "I know."

"What are we going to do?" her sister questioned panic stricken "He's demanding our immediate surrender!" Nojiko added. "And he's got a whole new crew!"

"I know," Nami said again.

"Where is he?" Zoro asked.

"He's staying in his ship!" Nojiko answered.

Nami looked at her unsure, "We didn't see any ships at the dock."

"He's not docking _there_." Nojiko explained. "He docked somewhere else so you wouldn't find him."

"Show us where!" The pirate girl urged.

She took them there. When they could see it from a distance they hid behind some bushes. They peeked out.

_"There!"_ Nojiko said, pointing.

Nami nodded, "Thanks."

"By the way," her sister began, "Where's Luffy?"

Nami looked down then at the ship.

Nojiko gasped, "Oh, Nami, I'm so sorry!"

"It's ok," she assured her, looking off at the distant ship, "We'll save him."

Or will they?


	8. It Was You

Chapter 8 It Was You

"Let's go!" Nami motioned.

Most of the crew went ahead. Nami was about to go with them when Zoro put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I thought you might want this." he tossed her, her staff.

She gasped, "My staff! But _how_ did you get this? I thought I lost it at sea!"

"Actually you dropped it when the storm knocked you down, I thought you might want it."

She smiled, "Yeah!" she attached it to her leg. "Thanks!"

* * *

Sneaking onto the ship would be anything but easy! How were they going to get up there? And even if they got up there how would they get up there without being seen?

"If we all go up there at once we're more likely to get caught." Nami whispered.

"Nami's right!" Zoro agreed, tying his bandana around his head, "Nami and I will go. You guys stand by incase we need your help!"

"Right!" they all agreed.

"Ok, give us a boost!" Zoro ordered.

They helped Nami up first. She peeked over the edge expecting to see a couple guards, but to her surprise no one was there.

"There's no one up here!" she whispered down to them.

She climbed on.

They helped Zoro up. He looked. "That's strange."

"Come on!" she motioned, "I think I know where they're keeping him."

He followed her below deck.

"This way!" she said pointing down a hallway.

When they reached the door they hid around the corner. Nami looked, then gasped.

"What?" Zoro asked looking over her shoulder. "Are there alot of them?"

He gasped as well. There was no one there!

"I don't get it. They had guards for me." Nami told him.

The swordsman looked around, "Something's not right.."

Nami ran to the door and jiggled the handle. "It's locked!"

He let out a laugh and gave a cocky grin, "Allow me!" **_POW!_** With one good kick from the swordsman the door flew open.

They ran in.

"Luffy!" she shouted. She screamed when she saw him.

He wasn't a pretty sight, he was in bad shape. He was black and blue, pretty beat up, and had cuts everywhere! Every part of his body had dried or fresh blood staining it.

Nami fell down to her knees beside him. "Luffy! Luffy!"

Zoro knelt down in front of him, he lifted his head. "Luffy! Come on, man! Wake up!"

Nothing.

Zoro growled then shook him. "LUFFY, YOU BETTER WAKE UP RIGHT NOW!"

He opened his eyes a little.

His two crew mates let out a sigh of relief.

_"Zoro... Nami..."_

"We're here!" said Nami.

He closed his eyes a moment and licked blood off his lip. _"Can't let... him hurt you..."_

"It's ok." Zoro said, "We're going to get you out of here!"

He closed his eyes and growled weakly, "Bastard pirate." he hung his head and fainted.

Zoro examined the shackles, "Damn it!" he put one of his swords in the key hole, "Come on! Come on!" _Click! _"Yes!" he grinned, "Now the other one.." _Click._

Luffy was free!

He fell forward, Zoro caught him and picked him up.

He looked at Nami and nodded. "Let's get out of here."

The pirates ran out the door.

Nami and Zoro gasped. They were stopped by an ambush of snake men waiting for them on the other side of the door. Since Zoro was holding Luffy the snake pirates had no problem taking his swords from him. The pirates tied their hands behind their backs and led them above deck, save for Luffy, who they had to carry. They led them above deck. Arlong and other snake men waited for them. When they reached the deck the Snake Man holding Luffy dropped him. He fell to the deck with a thud, his hat fell off and landed beside him.

"Nami! I'm so glad you're all right!" Arlong said, "It's so nice to have you back safe and sound!"

She glared at him.

The snake men pushed her over to Arlong, she fell before him.

"And now I'm so sorry, but I have to kill your friends."

"The only one who's going to have to be killed is you!" Zoro growled.

"I have no interest in you, you weak P-human!"

"GIVE ME MY SWORDS BACK AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S WEAK!" the swordsman roared raged by the comment.

Scratches sliced at him. Zoro watched blood slide down his face, "What the-"

"I ate a cursed fruit!" the merman told him, proudly, "The Scratch Scratch Fruit!"

Zoro blinked then raised an eyebrow, "A Cursed Fruit?" he supressed a laugh then laughed hystericly, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The merman looked at him,"What are you laughing at?"

Zoro stomped his foot while he laughed, "You''re a merman and you can't even swim?" he threw his head back, "That's hilarious! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Arlong growled uncontrolably, "KILL HIM!"

Zoro stopped laughing when he saw snake men rushing toward him. He turned his head, "HEY GUYS NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME!"

The crew answered his call, and ran to the rescue. Sanji was the one who saved him. He kicked in a circular motion keeping the snake men away.

"You called?" the chef said, looking over his shoulder at the swordsman.

"THE HELL I CALLED!" he answered, "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU WAITING FOR!"

"Calm down!" Sanji said starting to untie Zoro's hands, "We're here aren't we!"

"SHUT UP AND JUST UNTIE ME!"

He did and the swordsman was free. He immediatly went after the snakeman with his swords. "GIVE ME MY SWORDS BACK!" he demanded punching the guy, who had them, in the face. When the snake man fell over he took them. Another snake man with a sword went after him. Zoro turned blocking the guy just in time. He smiled proudly, "Bad idea, coming after me." Swords rang and sparks flew.

The whole Straw Hat Crew was there, holding the snake men at bay.

Robin took great delight in using her ability to sprout arms from the snake men's backs and choke or punch them.

Two snake men ran after Chopper and cornered the little reindeer. He squeeled frightened then growled. He roared as he took his human form and pounded them down.

"Great job!" Usopp said giving him a thumbs up, "Just like I taught you!"

He felt someone breath down his neck. His face turned blue as beeds of sweat broke out on his forehead. He turned to an ugly snake man. "AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" he ran but when he got a chance he used his sling shot on the guy.

Sanji continued to fight everything in his way. Kicking anyone who dared to come near him.

"Hey!" Nami shouted to him, "Untie me!"

He looked over his shoulder, "I'm coming!" he said running to her.

When he knelt beside her, he was surprised to be blown away by a hard punch in the stomach. He looked and realized Arlong had done it.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" the merman roared, "I'M GOING TO END THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL!" he started to run toward Luffy.

"LUFFY!" Nami shrieked.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and ran to defend their Captain. Robin was the first one to make it over, but before she even had a chance to use her abiltiy Arlong blew her away with a powerful punch.

Sanji ran over and tried to kick the merman but Arlong grabbed his leg and threw him against a wall.

Usopp was next. He shot mutiple times at Arlong but he either missed or they didn't affect him. When he ran in the way to protect his captain, Arlong ran him down.

Chopper was next, he stood in front of Luffy, holding Arlong back with powerful hand to hand combat but in the end Arlong threw him and won.

Arlong was almost in front of Luffy now. Zoro stopped him there by cutting him in the side. Arlong only stopped for a moment from the pain.

Zoro's head was lowered, "Stay back if you know what's good for you!" he threatened.

When Arlong didn't listen Zoro lashed out, he wasn't looking but he was positive he had sliced the merman in half. When he look up he was shocked to see that Arlong was holding the swords by the blades in his hands, yes they cut him and he bled but they didn't seem to be affecting him.

The swordsman's pupils shrunk, "What?"

The next moment, Arlong pulled the swords up and over his head, sending the swords and Zoro flying back. He hit the inside of the front of the ship and was knocked out.

Nami watched in horror as one by one her crew mates were beaten. She looked for something sharp then started to brush the ropes up against it.

Finally he was standing in front of Luffy, who was still unconious, he grinned down at him, with feeling of victory pulsing through him.

He grabbed a sword from one of the snake men and raised over Luffy and brought it down.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Nami screamed running over and sheilding the attack with her staff.

"What do you think your _doing!_" Arlong growled pushing down on the staff with the sword.

She growled then said, "I'm not going to let _you_ hurt _anyone_ anymore!"

He glared, "Fine!"

The next second his palm cut through the air like a knife, pushing her back, then, without warning, he stabbed her in the side.

She screamed, then grabbed her side and fell.

He glared down at her, "No one betrays **_ME _**and gets away with it!" he threw his head back and laughed.

Nami flinched in pain. She looked at Luffy, tears in her eyes. _I'm sorry.._

Luffy groaned a little, as he started to come to, his eyes opened slowly. He was shocked to see Nami's face right in front of his. He looked at her confused.

She gave a weak smile.

"Nami?"

His eyes glanced at the blood spilling from her side. His eyes widened then he looked back at her.

She laughed weakly, "I'm sorry..." she closed her eyes.

"Nami!" he shook her, "Nami, wake up!"

She didn't comply.

Luffy pushed himself up so he was sitting, he looked around. His pupils shrunk. His crew, all of his crew was there! They were all wounded and unconcious. His precious crew had come to save him and had gotten hurt in the prossess!

The wind blew. _My crew... _Tears started in his eyes. _My crew!_

He glared up at Arlong who was still laughing.

"YOU BASTARD!"

The merman's laughter was stopped by a hard punch in the face. Arlong fell down onto his back. The merman looked up at the pirate.

Luffy's head was lowered, his face shadow. His bloody fist shook violenty, "YOU SICK BASTARD! YOU HURT MY CREW!"

"So what if I did?" the merman hissed.

Luffy punched him again, "SHUT UP!" he reached down and grabbed his hat, he said this more calmly, "My crew means just as much to me," he picked it up, "as this straw hat..." he looked at Arlong with a fire lit to kill in his eyes, "And _no one _is going to hurt _them _and get away with it!"

The snake men attacked.

"Gum Gum Whip!" Luffy pulled back his leg and kicked it forward, snapping it like a whip against his enemies knocking many of them down. Two ran at him. Luffy pulled his hands far behind his back, then launched both of them forward simultaneously wrist to wrist, hitting his foe's very hard sending them flying. "Gum Gum Double Barrel!"

Other snake men tried to jump him but he seemed invincible as he threw them all off. He didn't seem interested in them, he ran like a mad man toward Arlong, who backed farther and farther away from him, pushing, punching or kicking any enemy that got in his way.

One came up behind him and jumped him, they rolled around on the floor. "GET OFF OF ME!" he demanded.

He grabbed hold of his opponent, then stretched his neck far back, and whiped it forward, hitting his opponent in the face.

He stood and went to run toward Arlong again when he found himself surrounded by more snake men. He lowered his head and growled. He had had enough of these bozos! "GUM GUM _STORM_!" The next second he unleashed a furious storm of countless powerful punches knocking out every snake man on board.

He stood in one place, head lowered, face hidden by the shadow of his hat. Luffy lifted his head, one angry eye could be seen and, as if on cue, lighting flashed behind him. For that instant Arlong was a afraid.

It began to rain.

Luffy's voice was dark and cold, _"You're dead.."_

Without warning Luffy fired his arm out and punched the merman. Arlong ran and returned to Luffy with his own punch. Luffy stretched his leg out and tried to kick Arlong but he jumped over it. The merman went to punch the pirate but Luffy grabbed his arm and threw him.

Arlong, who was now on the ground, looked over his shoulder at the pirate Captain, growling fiercely. Arlong stood and ran at him.

Luffy ran as well, they ran at each other and they met in hand to hand combat.

Lightning flashed.

The two clenched their fists hard, attempting to crush each other, both growling and trying to push each other back.

Luffy bent his leg, bracing himself, making sure he wouldn't be pushed back. Arlong did the same. The shark eyes came back small pieces of skin flew through the air.

"I'll kill you just like I killed Bellemere and all those people and all those other people in Dead Town!" the merman hissed.

Luffy shook his head a little as blood trickled down his face, "SO IT WASN'T A DISEASE! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO KILLED ALL THOSE PEOPLE!"

He let out a laugh, "That's right! All my snake men had to do was bite them and the poison did the rest!"

Luffy growled, "YOU'RE NOT A PIRATE! YOU'RE JUST A LOUSY MURDERER!"

As they continued with their test of strength, Arlong's eyes wandered off to the sword he had dropped when Luffy had punched him.

Arlong sprinted in an attempt to retrieve. Luffy stretched his arm out, grabbed it and brought it back to himself. He glared dangerously at Arlong then threw it behind himself.

Arlong growled.

"So this is it, huh? Here we are fighting, one of us destined to die." he laughed, "You know while your trying to get revenge you're crew is dying! Look at them!"

Luffy looked at them.

"They're dying. Are you really going to chose killing me over your crew? Do you really have to prove your worth by killing me?"

"They're strong," Luffy answered him, "Stronger than you'll ever be!"

Arlong chuckled, "But how strong is that?"

Luffy noticed Arlong was eyeing Nami.

They both stood silently for a second then they both ran toward her.

Luffy stretched both of his arms forward, trying to grab her before he got to her, but Arlong threw a barrel at him sending him flying back.

Arlong grabbed the sword then grabbed Nami.

Luffy sat up quickly, "NO! DON'T!"

"Why not?" Arlong taunted, "I thought you chose killing me over your crew?" the merman raised the sword in the air.

"LET HER GO!"

"Now," Arlong continued,"You'll have to chose. What's more important? Killing me? Or a member of your crew?"

"SHUT UP!" Luffy roared stretching his arm's forward, "I DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE ANYTHING!"

He grabbed Nami and pulled her back, sending them both tumbling backwards. They stopped when they hit the bow. Luffy picked her up and stood.

Her eyes opened partually. _"Luffy?"_

Luffy smiled, "Don't worry everything's going to be fine.." he looked over his shoulder at the merman, looking down, "You wouldn't understand," Luffy told Arlong, "You'd never understand how important my crew is to me." he looked up, "They're more important than killing anyone as worthless as you." he turned away. "I don't need to kill you to prove anything!"

Arlong rushed at him with his sword raised.

"LUFFY!" Nami exclaimed.

Luffy set Nami down turning around quickly, he grabbed the sword by the handle and fought for it.

Lightning flashed.

"YOU PATHETIC P-HUMAN! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU'RE WORTH ANYTHING!" the merman questioned angrily.

Scratches tore at Luffy's face. The pirate Captain grinned widely."Because I'm King of the Pirates!" he pulled the sword out of Arlong's grasp and ran him through.

Nami gasped.

Arlong coughed. The pirate pushed it down harder, then pulled it out. The merman coughed, his hand on the spot where he had been stabbed. He staggered backwards until his body was against the side of the ship.

_"You're finished.."_ Luffy said coldly.

Arlong gave a smile grin, "Not yet."

He grabbed Luffy's arm and fell backwards over the edge, Luffy went with him.

"LUFFY!" Nami screamed, hurrying to her feet and running to the side of the ship.

Before he hit the water he shot his arm up. Nami grabbed his hand.

"Hang on!" she cried.

Luffy did his best, it was hard though, Arlong was still hanging onto his other arm determined not to let go.

"I'll pull you up!" she shouted.

She started to when suddenly, blood flew in front of her eyes. She looked down. _Shark eyes... _Arlong was scratching her! More scratches sliced her. She screamed.

Luffy looked down at the merman, "LET GO OF ME YOU ASS!"

He laughed, "NEVER!"

Nami's eyes searched desperaetly for something to throw. She eyed the blood stained sword next to her. She picked it up with her free hand. And looked down._ But what if I miss?_

"THROW IT!" she heard Luffy shout.

She looked down at him, "But what if I miss!"

"THROW IT!" he shouted again.

She bit her lip. Sweat dripped off of her face. What if she missed? How could she live with herself if she killed her own Captain? But even though she wasn't sure, she trusted Luffy and if he was sure about it she would trust his judgement. She threw it.

Luffy moved his body back. Arlong screamed as it stabbed him. He let go and fell into the waters below.

But the two pirates were in no mood to celerbrate. Nami was having a hard time pulling Luffy up, her feet were skidding across the body of the ship and she was getting ever so close to falling off the ship herself.

"LET GO!" Luffy shouted to her.

"NO! I WONT!" _I'll never let go.. Never.._

She strained to pull him up but was having a hard time. _I can't do it!_ She started to cry.

"NAMI! LET GO!" he persisted.

She looked down at him shocked, "But you'll fall!"

"TRUST ME!"

She looked away and let go.

He laughed, _"YES!"_ he launched his hands far in front of him and grabbed onto the side of the ship, then fired his entire body forward.

He came zooming up and made it to safety. He fell to the deck with a thud.

He sat up rubbing his head, "Ow, that hurt."

"Luffy!" Nami shouted, running over. She jumped him and hugged him. "Oh Luffy! I was so scared!"

She cried.

He smiled and hugged her back.

"Luffy!" Zoro shouted, who had finally regained concousness, "Are you all right?"

He grinned and set his hat on top of his head, "Yeah, I'm fine!"

The swordsman looked back over his shoulder, "The others are banged up pretty bad, but I think they're going to be all right."

Luffy closed his eyes and laughed through his teeth. The expression faded and his eyes squinted. He fell back.

"LUFFY!" Nami exclaimed.

Zoro lifted him a little, his head fell back over Zoro's arm limply. "Luffy? Luffy?"

He didn't reply.

* * *

When they made it back to their ship Chopper treated everyone, but he was most concerned about Luffy.

He lay in a bed in the midst of them, still unconcious. He was now burning with a high fever. His face was broken in a deep sweat.

"Is his infection that bad?" Nami asked.

Chopper lowered his head, "It's much worse than that I'm afraid." he sighed, "I read up on these creatures and it seems that their claws can be just as poisonous as their teeth.

Nami covered her mouth and gasped, "Is there anything you can do?"

"Hopefully the medicine will make everything all better. If I gave it to him on time."

Zoro looked at him, "If"?"

The little reindeer shook his head."I just hope he's strong enough. I've done everything I can do."

They crew stood in silence for a moment then started to leave.

"Aren't you coming?" Sanji asked Nami.

She bit her lip but didn't answer.

"Let her go." Zoro told him.

They left.

* * *

This whole thing had been crazy, not that, that was surprising, nothing surprised her where Luffy was concerned. It always seemed like nothing was beyond him. But she never thought she would lose him, especially like this.

The next morning she found no change in her captain. She had stayed up all night with Luffy. _I can't take this anymore. _She left the room and walked onto the deck.

It was early in the morning. The sun was just rising, so obviously no one was awake.

She looked out over the ocean, reminding her of their talk a few days ago. She couldn't bare the thought of watching her captain ever so slowly fade away. And now she realized it more then every-

She looked up._ He can't die... I- I.. _She looked around as if she felt like someone could read her thoughts. _I love him..._

-she had fallen in love with him. And she realized this could be her last chance to tell him that she loved him.

She made her way back to his room. She sat down next to the bed. No change, he looked just as weak as before. If not worse. He was now breathing heavily, moaning as he turned his head from side to side.

She took the cloth from his forehead and dampened it then placed it back.

"Please," she whispered, "Please be all right..."

His breathing became heavier and he moaned louder. He whipped his head back and forth violently.

"Luffy!" she exclaimed.

She was going to call for Chopper but he had said he had already done everything he could do.

She took his head. "Come on! You can make it!"

He still continued, getting worse by the second.

She squeezed it, tears streamed down her face, "Hold on!"

He continued for another moment then it died down some, and then he stopped. His chest was still rising pretty quickly but he wasn't moaning anymore. Then she realized he was asleep.

She put her hand on his forehead it was sweating. She sighed in relief. _His fever broke... _She layed her head on the side of the bed and fell asleep.

* * *

When she awoke she was surprised to see her captain was gone. Luffy?

She got up and walked onto the deck. The first thing she noticed was that it was still morning and the sun was still rising. This confused her because she could have sworn she had slept for hours.

Then she gasped. She saw him! He was there standing at the front of the ship!

She sighed, a burden lifted from her shoulders. He was all right.

He looked over his shoulder and saw her. He walked up to her.

She felt nervous again.

"Hi, um, nice to see that your feeling better."

"You too!" He said grinning, "You slept a whole day away!"

She blinked surprised, "I-I did?"

He closed his eyes, "Yeah! But you deserved it, staying up with me all night!"

She blushed. The two pirates walked to the side of the ship together then gazed over the ocean.

"Ya know," he began, pushing his hat back so it hung from the string around his neck. "I don't think I would have made it.."

She looked at him, "What?"

He looked at her, "I don't think I would have made it if it wasn't for you."

She looked down, "Oh, uh, it was nothing."

He smiled at her. She blushed.

She looked away, "I'm sorry for everything that happened."

He put up a hand, "Don't worry about!"

She looked at him, "Are sure?"

He grinned, "Sure, I'm sure!"

She smiled then looked at the ocean. Then she thought about something then looked at him angrily, "I wouldn't of had to.."

He tilted his head, _"Hmmm?"_

"I WOULDN'T OF HAD TO STAY UP WITH YOU ALL NIGHT IF YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR INFECTION IN THE FIRST PLACE! WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU! DO YOU WANT TO DIE! DO YOU WANT TO-"

Luffy laughed and cut her off with a kiss. She was surprised at first but then she closed her eyes and got into it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued to kiss him. He put his arms around her waist.

When they finished he grinned. He took his hat off and placed it on top of her head.

He closed his eyes grinned and laughed through his teeth.

She stared at him wonderingly.

"Ya know what?" he started, "I was looking for something all that time and I didn't know what it was." he opened his eyes, "But it was in front of me all along!"

She tilted her head, "What was that?"

He smiled, "You."

She blushed and smiled. They kissed.

* * *

"Here you go!" Luffy said handing the money to the old lady.

"Bah! I don't know why I bothered with you in the first place," she mumbled, "but since you're here..." she pulled them in. "Time for a check up!"

Nami smacked her forehead, "Not again!"

"Hey!" Chopper protested, "I'm the Doctor of this crew!"

"Looks like you need a check up as well!" she grabbed his arm.

"WAH!" he shrieked as she pulled him in.

Usopp tried next. "Listen, lady, we-"

"You look terrible!" the lady remarked. She pulled him in.

"Yikes!" he shrieked. "HEY! OW! THAT'S MY NOSE!"

Robin walked over, "I don't think this is necessary-"

"You too!" the old lady pulled her in as well.

Sanji walked in the small house, "Listen lady, this isn't-"

"WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU!" the old lady screamed at him. She grabbed his cigarette and stomped on it.

"HEY!"

"DON'T YOU KNOW SMOKING IS BAD FOR YOU!"

"THAT WAS MY LAST ONE, YOU OLD HAG!"

"Well too bad!"

Zoro walked up to the door, "Look lady we don't need-"

"Looks like your pretty banged up as well!" she interupted, "But who would be surprised, lugging around those sharp swords all day!" She pulled him in.

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! HEY! THOSE ARE MINE! GIVE ME BACK MY SWORDS!"

"You'll get them back when I'm finished!" she growled.

Luffy and Nami looked at each other and laughed.

* * *

Finally it was time to set out again on their adventure.

Luffy and Nami were once again alone on deck. Just watching the ocean together.

"So here we are again." Nami started, "Off to find One Piece!"

He grinned and laughed his laugh, "Yup!"

The two were silent for a long moment. Even though they both knew it and they had even shared a kiss Nami felt she had to say it.

"Luffy.."

He looked at her.

"I love you."

He smiled at her, understanding in his eyes. "I love you, too, Nami..."

Their eyes locked. They kissed.

Now the pirates were off again! A new feeling there to bind them even closer together! And who knows what the future has in store for them! Even though they couldn't see the future and the road ahead of them, they did know what they were searching for. One Piece, the treasure that would make their dreams come true! Even though, in a way, their dreams all ready had.

THE END

_Author's note:_

_Not what I had orignally had planned from the begining for the ending but I still think it's sweet! I really wanted this chapter to be good so I really thought it out! I think I had the fight down packed. My sister was playing this really rocky music when I wrote that part so I had no problemn making everyone pound on each other! Unfortutatelly when I got to the romantic part I was not in that sort of mood to write so I wrote it a different day. And I'm glad I did, I probably would have made them beat each other up! lol. Anyways I hoped you liked my Story. Make sure you leave a REVIEW telling me what you thought about it. THANK YOU!_


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